Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Sep 15: The general meeting of the Bantwal town council was held on Monday, September 15, under the chairmanship of council president Vasu Poojary.

During the session, senior member A Govinda Prabhu questioned officials, asking why no legal records were being produced when queries were raised. “Is there no respect for council members? Are we sitting here without work?” he demanded. He further alleged that the council was applying one law in two different ways, calling it unfair.

Council member Siddiq Guddeyangadi pointed out that the Bantwal municipality should take up the development of the old Panemangalore bridge. “Though a capacity test was recently conducted, no follow-up action has been taken. Not even basic cleaning around the bridge has been done,” he said. Members expressed concern that the British-era iron bridge’s condition demanded urgent repairs and more attention from the council.

BJP members objected to the payment of Rs 94,614 in salary to a driver from February to June, claiming he had been appointed illegally. “There are already eight officially designated drivers for the solid waste disposal vehicles. How was another driver appointed without authorization, and why was he paid?” they asked, insisting their objections be recorded.

Members also raised complaints regarding the AMRUT pipeline project, alleging irregularities in water supply. “Households are billed thousands of rupees after Aadhaar details are collected, yet those who pay do not get drinking water, while those who do not pay receive it. People are even threatened with legal action for non-payment,” they claimed.

Council president Vasu Poojary directed that a complaint be filed with the Lokayukta, stating that despite spending crores of rupees, the project had failed to provide continuous water supply to residents. “Let the irregularities in the drinking water scheme be exposed,” he added.

Concerns were also raised over reports that garbage from various gram panchayats was being dumped at the Kanchinadkka solid waste disposal unit, which was built exclusively for the town council’s waste. Members demanded to know why outsiders were allowed to dump waste there.

They further urged that the pink toilet facility in front of the Bisiroad administration building be opened for public use at a nominal fee, and pressed for the public toilet built at Panemangalore market to be opened immediately, warning that they would open it themselves if the council failed to act.

Members Hariprasad, Ramakrishna Alva, Mohammad Nandarabettu, Mohammad Sharif, and others took part in the discussion.