Silvester D’ Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Sep 4: Congress workers and villagers protested in front of Gangolli Panchayat office alleging that the gram panchayat does not function properly and does not respond to people’s problems for the last six months.

Gram panchayat officials misbehave with village people who come with complaints and do not value for their requests said grama panchayat members.

Gangali gram which has salt water problem, does not get drinking water supplied despite having the facility.  Street lights are not working in several places during the last six months.  BPL ration cards are being issued to only those who pay money, said panchayat member Durgaraj.  Even daily wage workers in the grama panchayat do not value the grievances of panchayat members.  No development works take place.  Toilet facilities are also lacking, they said.

Another gram panchayat member Sarojini alleged that even if the jobs that are to be done at taluk and district levels are done by the local officials, the grama level problems are neglected by the panchayat administration.  They have not acted on drinking water, electricity and ration card problems at Dakuhitlu area, she said.

They said that the present protest is only symbolic, the gram panchayat should set right the anomalies.  They warned of strong protests if the panchayat does not act.  A memorandum was submitted to the panchayat president and panchayat development officer after the protest meeting.

Gram panchayat members Ganesh P Nagamma, Surekha Kanoji, Edward Kadin, Nirmala Pinto, Razak, Srinivas Jathan, former member Khaleep Younis, Zainul Abhidin, Ramakrishna Kharvi and hundreds of villages participated in the protest.