Discontent grows over Bhatkal’s upgrade to City Municipal Council, Panchayats raise objections

Bhatkal: 09 August,25 (Bhatkallys News Bureau) The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the upgrade of Bhatkal Town Municipal Council (TMC) to a City Municipal Council. Along with this, Jali Pattan Panchayat and Heble Gram Panchayat will be merged into the newly formed City Municipal Council. The announcement was made by Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister and Bhatkal MLA Mankal Vaidya through his official Facebook page.

Expressing gratitude, Vaidya thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, and Municipal Administration Minister Rahim Khan, calling the decision a significant step for Bhatkal’s development.

The move has sparked mixed reactions among the public and local leaders. Supporters believe that the new City Municipal Council status will help Bhatkal secure increased funding from both the state and central governments. This funding is expected to improve civic infrastructure, sanitation, roads, water supply, and other essential services. The upgrade is also likely to simplify the approval process for large development projects and allow for better urban planning. Additionally, the new council will have greater administrative powers to enable faster and more effective decision-making.

However, concerns have been raised regarding the possible negative impact on residents. Many fear that the upgrade will lead to higher property taxes, electricity bills, and water charges, which could burden low-income families. Residents of Jali and Heble Panchayats are worried about losing their local identity and autonomy due to the merger and being subjected to urban regulations unfamiliar to them.

Jali Pattan Panchayat President Afsha Qazia expressed her disappointment with the decision. She said the current panchayat was elected only ten months ago and has not had enough time to function independently. “We do not agree with this decision at all. In the upcoming council meeting, we will discuss the opinion of our members and may even approach the court regarding this matter,” she stated.

Bhatkal Town Municipal Council in-charge president Altaf Kharuri also voiced his concerns. He said the decision was based on outdated population figures from the 2011 census, which showed a population lower than required for the City Municipal Council status. According to Kharuri, current estimates for 2025 show that Bhatkal’s population has grown enough to qualify without merging other panchayats. He added that if there was any shortfall, merging only Jali Pattan Panchayat would have sufficed. “Including Heble Panchayat is unnecessary and not welcome. We are not satisfied with this decision,” he said. The issue is expected to be discussed in the forthcoming municipal council meeting.