Unscientific construction of NH, Toll Collection Issue dominates Udupi ZP meeting
Udupi: Issues like the unscientific construction of the national highway and the increasing number of accidents along with objections to toll collection dominated the general body meeting of the Udupi zilla panchayat on Tuesday, June 25.
Raising the issue, Udupi Zilla Panchayat Standing Committee President Shashikanth Padubidri said that in Sastan Toll plaza, the locals living within a 5km radius were exempted from paying the toll. He demanded the extension of the same rule in Hejamadi toll plaza as well.
National highway official Naveen said that the toll will be set as directed by the ministry and the white board four-wheelers are given monthly passes. Two-wheelers are exempted from the toll, Naveen added.
MLA Raghupathi Bhat demanded that the government should withdraw police protection to teach them a lesson, so that the public themselves can handle the situation.
Opposition Leader in Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary alleged that although they collect toll diligently, they are lackadaisical when it comes to the repair of the stretch and other sort of conveniences that ought to be offered to the commuters. Accidents are taking place on the stretch. There are a lot of irregularities in toll collection, he charged.
The officials said that two teams from the national highway are constantly monitoring the stretch and in case of any inconvenience, they are available for help. All required safety measures as directed by Supreme Court are taken, he added.
ZP member Janardhan Thonse expressed apprehensions about the success of quarterly review meetings of the Karnataka Development Programmes (KDP) at the Gram Panchayat level as directed by the government.
The proposal by the government to conduct the quarterly KDP meetings at every Gram Panchayat will not be feasible due to the lackadaisical approach of the officials.
Opposition Leader in Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the proposed quarterly KDP meetings will be a success in the coastal belt as the Gram Sabhas and tax collection in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district are far better when compared to other Gram Panchayats in the state. The tax collection has reached 98% in both the districts, he added.
Lauding the government’s initiative, Poojary expressed confidence that the quarterly KDP meeting at villages will be effective in ensuring the decentralisation process at a greater level.
Zilla Panchayat CEO Sindhu Rupesh said there are 140 PDOs for 158 gram panchayats in the district.
The executive officers in Taluk Panchayats have been instructed to manage a time table for the quarterly KDP meetings in two to three nearby Gram Panchayats for a single day. It will help the officials to be present and lessen their burden. They can also avoid facing the wrath of the public for both being in the office and only attending meetings, she said.
Udupi ZP President Dinakar Babu presided over the meeting. Vice president Sheela K Sheey, MLA’s Raghupathi Bhat, Haladi Srinivasa Shetty, Standing Committee presidents Uday Kotian, Babu Shetty, Shashikanth Padubidri and others were present.
