Mangaluru: MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur has demanded a thorough probe by the Lokayukta and senior officials into alleged corruption and irregularities in Uppinangady gram panchayat.Referring to the complaints raised by the public during a Lokayukta officials’ inspection of the panchayat office, the MLC alleged that corruption had been rampant in the panchayat for several years. He launched a scathing attack on Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai, questioning his “tactical silence” over the corruption in his constituency.Following a visit by the Dakshina Kannada Lokayukta team to the panchayat office for document verification on Wednesday, which witnessed widespread public outrage and numerous complaints, the MLC said that he had personally called the Puttur taluk panchayat executive officer (EO) two months ago, providing complete details of the malpractices, bribery, and public harassment at the Uppinangady GP. Despite demanding immediate disciplinary action against the concerned panchayat development officer (PDO), the EO remained completely silent, he said.Highlighting the extent of the corruption, Kishore Kumar stated that the Lokayukta probe has proved the poor cannot get any work done without paying bribes. “A disabled person was forced to pay Rs 1 lakh as a bribe through a middleman just to get a house door number, which is a shame to civil society,” he said. He alleged that every process, from trade licence renewals to house taxes and file clearances, is now entirely run by brokers.Questioning the administrative protection given to the official, the MLC stated, “The PDO, who has been stationed here for 6-7 years facing multiple public allegations, was recently transferred but immediately given the ‘in-charge’ role of Uppinangady again.”The MLC demanded an impartial and comprehensive investigation into the panchayat’s civil works, fund utilisation, licence issuance, misuse of 25% SC/ST grants, and the middleman nexus over the past several years.
