No clarity on panchayat poll, works 'stalled' in villages

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, September 20

As the tenure of the outgoing public representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) has already got over in February and still there is no clarity about the schedule for the panchayat elections, developments works have been stalled in most villages in the district.

The outgoing sarpanches have already submitted their ‘basta’ (records) to the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPO) concerned as per government directions. After that, they cannot carry out any development work in their villages.

The residents blame officials’ apathy for the non-completion of development works and delay in works.

“We submitted our record in the office of the BDPO in February. Most of the development works and even the lifting of garbage is badly hampered in most of the villages,” said Nishant Rana, outgoing sarpanch of Unchasamana village.

He said that people still come to them to get their work done, but they were helpless as their tenure is over.

Another sarpanch of Nilokheri block said that BDPO and panchayat secretaries have been assigned to look after the work in the rural areas concerned, but one secretary is looking after four to five villages and one BDPO has the load of 70-80 villages. In such circumstances, how could works be done, he asked.

A 50-year-old resident of Nigdhu village said that the farmers’ agitation is on across the state and farmer leaders have given a call to oppose the visit of BJP-JJP leaders.

“It seems the government is not in a hurry to get the elections conducted as the government fears opposition in rural areas,” he added.

He said that most of the roads have been dug up to lay pipelines at Nigdhu village. So, residents have to face a lot of problems particularly in the rainy season.

The villagers had staged a protest against the non-completion of road works few days back, but no work has been started.

Another sarpanch of Nilokheri block said sweepers are not getting salaries on time due to officials’ apathy.

According to an official, the tenure of the outgoing PRIs got over on February 23. On February 15, the government had issued a letter directing the sarpanches to submit their record with the administrators concerned and that no fund would be released for development works by the PRIs.

On March 10, another direction was issued in which the government said that the works which were approved would be done.

In May, administrators were appointed for utilising the PRI funds for new development works. BDPO was assigned for panchayat, SDM for panchayat samiti and CEO Zila Parishad was for Zila Parishad works.

Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, said that the BDPOs have been empowered to get the development works done. If there is an issue in any village, he would get it checked. “I review the development works of the rural areas also. If there is any issue in any village, it will be resolved,” said DC Yadav.