Zilla Panchayat demands the formation of Hebri Taluk

Udupi: Members of the Zilla Panchayat have demanded the formation of Hebri taluk, a discussion that dominated the general body meeting of the panchayat here on December 22.

Jyothi Harish, a member, expressed the pains of the people living in the interior villages such as Meggadhe, Nadpal and Kudlu, who have to travel more than 15 kilometers to Karkala to have their issues solved. She also said that the government had initially agreed to their demands but they later found out from the papers that as they did not meet the government’s guidelines, they could not be made a separate taluk.

Shilpa Nag, assistant Commissioner, said that as per government guidelines, a new taluk should have a population of one lakh or 50 villages but the current population of Hebri is 46,650. The geographical area was wide. Hence, the district administration had written to the government to consider the geographical area too as a criterion, she added.

In another issue, Reshma Shetty, a member, alleged that the Public Works Department (PWD) refused to give out information about the proposed toll gate at Belman for the Karkala Padubidri State Highway, despite tenders being called. In response to this, a PWD official said that the road was constructed under the purview of the Karnataka State Highway and not the PWD so they are unable to provide the required information.

Janardhan Tonse, a member, informed that there was a need for a bus stand on either side of NH 66 at Santhekate, Kallianpur. Shivanand Kapasi, CEO of Zilla panchayat, said that a meeting of the highway authorities, contractor and officials of various departments concerned will be held on December 27.

Ration card holders not receiving the ration, new ration cards not being issued and other ration card related issues were discussed during the meeting.

Earlier, Saraswathi Yuvaka Mandala, Malpe and Dolphine D’Souza Parampalli were felicitated for their achievements at the national level.

Dinakar Babu presided over the meeting. Shivananda Kapasi, CEO, Shilpa Nag AC, Sheela K Shetty, Vice President ZP, K Pratapchandra Shetty, MLC, Haladi Srinivas Shetty MLA, Gopal Poojary MLA, K Babu Shetty President of Standing Committee, Uday S Kotian, President Education and Health Standing Committee, Shashikanth Padubidri Agriculture and Industrial Standing Committee President and officials were present.