Husbands mount pressure on ZP president

GULBARGA: Violating the norms of Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, Gulbarga ZP president Shivaprabhu Patil, under pressure from women members, arranged a meeting of members, including spouses on Monday evening, ZP officials told Express on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.Though the purpose of the ‘special’ meeting was not known, the officials attended on being informed by the president.Believing it to be a meeting with ZP members, in-charge CEO Kenchannavar and his team of officials went to the old ZP meeting hall. They were shocked to see a crowd of around 70 persons, including husbands. The strength of Gulbarga ZP is 42 members.Spouses of women members berated the officials for not informing them about the developmental activities and not allowing them in the meeting to represent their wives.It was decided to call a pre-meeting three days prior to every general body meeting to fix the agenda and settle issues. Following the news of this meeting, Rural Development Minister summoned the ZP president to his chamber to advise him.The president told Express over phone that Shettar has advised him not to buckle to pressure of women members as such things would defeat the very purpose of women empowerment. The ZPs should train their members on developmental aspects and how to extract works from the officials.“Shettar advised me that the husbands of members can speak with the officials directly or on phone and discuss the problems which their wives cannot handle properly,” he said.The District Congress Committee disapproved the action of its 11 women ZP members. DCC president Sharanaprakash Patil told reporters that he would call a meeting of women ZP members to train them in asking questions and taking up development aspects.