Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi

Udupi, Feb 26: Kundapur MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary held a press meet on Thursday February 26 at Udupi office.

Speaking to media persons, he stressed the need for restoration of the executive powers to village panchayats within three to four days. Hundreds of applications have remained in the village panchayats. New buildings have been stopped since three months in 5,629 villages.

According to the order 01-04-2014, the special allowance of gram panchayat members was doubled but now another order has been passed to withdraw the special allowance from them. Crores of rupees were paid to 93,000 members.

Poojary said that it was a matter of shame to the state and urged the state government not to take back an already approved amount.

MESCOM racket

He alleged that the MESCOM department is collecting unscientific and uncertain bills from the zilla panchayat without considering the village panchayat’s decision. There is a debt of Rs.3.5 crore with MESCOM along with Rs. 1.5 crore interest.

Unceasing ration problems

Regarding the problems of ration cards, he said that approximately 17 lac cards are still pending in the state. In Udupi district 20,000 cards were incomplete out of 2,75,000 for several reasons.

Stock medicines in hospitals

He added that medicines such as Tamiflu should be kept on the ready in the district hospital, city hospitals, and also in private hospitals.

Poojary stressed that keeping in mind the H1N1 threat, health minister U T Khader should act quickly whenever there is a shortfall of drugs and pills.