The Virajpet Taluk Panchayat General Meeting was chaired by Virajpet Taluk Administrative Officer and Deputy Secretary of G.P.M., M.C. Chandrashekhar, at the Virajpet Taluk Panchayat SamathryaSoudha. Regarding drinking water, officials informed that under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme there are a total of 120 works in three batches across various gram panchayats of Ponnampet and Virajpet taluks, of which only 44 have been completed.
Chandrashekhar instructed officials of the Rural Drinking Water Department to take immediate steps to complete the remaining works and ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply. On the issue of education, he noted that although the government is providing free textbooks, uniforms and midday meals to schoolchildren, enrolment in government schools is declining. He directed field education officers to focus more on SSLC students and to work towards improving this year’s results compared to last year.
The meeting also reviewed facilities being provided to the people of Hadi by the Scheduled Castes Welfare Department. More than 700 children are currently studying in six ashram schools, all of which are reportedly well maintained, with nutritious food being provided, according to the department officer. Officials from the Fisheries Department informed that fishing kits will be distributed to fishermen and fish fry will be provided to farmers engaged in fish farming on the basis of merit.
The Assistant Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, Girish, reported that foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin vaccination programmes have already been completed for calves. However, he noted that the number of people rearing cows in the taluk has declined due to the absence of milk collection centres, except in Hosur Gram Panchayat.
The CESC division highlighted that electric poles are being dragged along roads in various parts of the taluk during the installation of new poles, and engineers were instructed to take corrective action. The Zonal Forest Officer informed that a total of 618 cases of wildlife conflict, including elephant and tiger attacks and crop destruction, have been registered in the taluk. Compensation has already been provided in many cases. Forest
