Gram Sabhas: Villagers take officials to task

By Our Special Correspondent

GUNDRANIPALLE (Nalgonda dt.), JAN. 4. Gram sabhas in these parts have become tumultuous affairs, with vociferous villagers questioning the sarpanches and mandal level officers as to why they did not fulfil their promises for so long. One reason for this is the presence of the CPI and the CPI(M) in these villages and the call given by these two parties to people to raise questions about the issues approved in earlier sabhas, and another is the fact that the gram sabha is being held after a gap of seven months, because the intervening Janmabhoomi was cancelled due to the election schedule.

So much so that in the gram sabha, held here this morning, the sarpanch, Ms. Ch. Nirmala of the Telugu Desam, went on the offensive, shouting at people who raised the issue of the failure of a borewell: ``Am I expected to visit each and every house in the village everyday to find out whether you are getting water? Did I not do any development in the village? Can a small group of people go on accusing me every time this way?'' And after going into tantrums for ten minutes, she walked out in a huff from the gram sabha, leaving the field for the nodal officer, Mr. Suresh Babu, and her husband, Mr. Ch. Ramulu, a local contractor, to complete the gram sabha.

This village is in the Bhongir Assembly constituency, represented by the Minister for Panchayat Raj, Mr. A. Madhava Reddy. Mr. Gandu Sathyanarayana, who was an upa-sarpanch earlier, says that the sarpanch, and her husband, have ``cornered'' all the funds the village gets, spending it in ``useless'' works, such as laying drains where people do not benefit. There has been no drinking water in the village for the past one week, but can a sarpanch say she is unaware of it?, he asks. Soon, others join, shouting at the top of their voices as to what purpose the gram sabha would serve if drinking water cannot be provided. They cite a neighbouring village, where, when a pump failed, they hired a substitute and provided water. Why don't you do it in Gandrampalle? they ask.

Mr. Gopagandu Sattiah Goud, a local CPI(M) worker, says that since the inception of a Government High School in the village 18 years ago, the Headmaster's post has been vacant.

The team of officials patiently wait for the questioning groups to let off steam and resume the sabha. Nine works were taken up in this village, and seven completed. They say that of 70 individual ``latrines'' sanctioned, there was money to disburse grant for only 20 because of lack of money, and so ``there is no questioning any more''.

``How can you say that? You are the nodal officer that our Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, sent here to solve the problems. He will give you the funds if you approach him'', says one man. ``No, I have my limit, and I have to function within the limit'', replies the Nodal Officer, Mr. Suresh Babu, an Assistant Director of Industries.For a change, it is the sarpanches and officials who are apprehensive at the gram sabha, while it is the people who ask questions.

The Sarpanch, Ms. Ch. Nirmala, shouts at people who ask her questions at Gram Sabha, part of the 11th Janmabhoomi, on Tuesday at Gundranpalli (Nalgonda district). Photo: H. Satish

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