Srikakulam: 7 village panchayats against merger proposal

Srikakulam: Residents of seven village panchayats, Chapuram, Patrunivalasa, Killipalem, Peddapadu, Khazipeta, Kusalapuram and Thotapalem in the vicinity of Srikakulam city are strongly opposed to their merger into Srikakulam Municipal Corporation (SMC). The issue has been in controversy for the last ten years.

But at that time except Peddapadu all other six villages' residents opposed merger and they filed a petition in the court in this regard. After hearing the petitions, the court directed the government not to merge these panchayats without conducting public opinion from the villages. But the court directed the government to go ahead in conducting local bodies' elections in these panchayats. However, once again the issue of merger came to light before the local bodies' elections. Both panchayat raj and municipal administration departments issued orders again for merger of these seven village panchayats withthe initiative of YSRCP MLA Dharmana Prasada Rao.

Before merging the panchayats, both the departments issued orders to the concerned departments' staff at district level to collect opinion of villagers of these panchayats and granted 10-day time for it from December 21 to 31. But the residents opposed merger of their villages into SMC by claiming poor facilities. Even though the residents opposed government orders for its merger, the residents of Khazipeta, Kusalapuram and Thotapalem moved to HC and got stay orders on merger.

The court posted the petition for hearing on January 21. Residents of the villages have also decided to express their views to Chief Minister. Till final orders issued by the HC, the residents of these villages are in confusion over local bodies' elections which are held in February.