Will Bhatkal panchayats be merged? councillors divided

Bhatkal 15 November 2018: (Bhatkallys News Bureau) Jali Patan Panchayath ward councillor Syed Imran Lanka submitted a application to the body's president urging him to merge Jali Patan Panchayath with Bhatkal TMC, so that more developmental work can be carried out in the wards. The letter was brought into the agenda of General body meeting that was called on November 15, Thursday, which resulted in verbal arguments and altercations between the councillors who remained divided on their opinions. A section of councillors remained firmed on their idea of merging the Jali Patan Panchayath with Heble Gram Panchayath to turn it into another TMC, while the other section argued for merging Jali Patan Panchayath with the existing TMC. Tanzeem backed councillors led by Imran Lanka argued that they should be allowed to merge their respective wards into TMC as their wards have seen no developmental work over the years due to lack of funds, labors and other 'excuses'. Aftab Damudi, another councillor also countered and opposed the section of councillors arguing for merging the body with Heble Gram Panchayath. Imran added that after merging Jali Patan Panchayath with TMC, they can apply for getting CMC status to the merged body which will result in getting more funds, more development etc. Purendra, led the argument from the opposition and staged his strict objection over merging the body with TMC. After several verbal altercations and arguments between the two groups, Patan Panchayath President Syed Aadam Panambur, after getting no outputs from the conversation postponed the agenda and reserved the voting on the matter for the next general body meeting. Among other agendas, shifting of Jali Patan Panchayath was also discussed, which was also followed by verbal altercations and arguments, after which the matter was also postponed for the discussion in the next meeting. Towards the end of the meeting a standing committee was also formed as the term of existing committee came to an end. Eleven new members were elected in the committee. Syed Imran Lanka, Aftab Damudi, Purendra, Bilal Qamri, Mangal Gonda, Reshma Sardar, Farhana Data, Fathima, Mumtaz, Shridhar and Nagaraj were elected into the standing committee. The whole episode of merging of the body has left people guessing if the body is merged with Heble Panchayath to form another TMC, will the existing TMC will remain in the same status even when (according to the intention of the section of councillors) the new TMC will merge with other Panchayaths including Shirali gram Panchayath, to go on to become CMC. (Bhatkallys News Bureau/ Ismail Zaorez)