PDOs to protest from Nov 2; services to be disrupted

Mangaluru: With all Gram Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) of Karnataka preparing for an indefinite dharna-Satyagraha, services excluding drinking water and street light are likely to be disrupted.

Around 5,600 PDOs from 6,026 villages of the state, including 311 PDOs from D.K., Udupi, are expected to participate in the dharna-satyagraha at Freedom Park in Bengaluru from November  2.

Demands

The post of Panchayat Development Officers lying dormant for 8 years, should be upgraded to Group “B”. The case assigned to the Lokayukta to investigate the works implemented under the Manrega scheme from 2006-2007 to 2011-2012 should be withdrawn. Gram Panchayat Hooligan Act should be enforced against those who attack officers and employees. Compensation should be paid to the families of PDO and other officials who died of Covid-19.

As 16A has been canceled, inter-district transfers are banned. Hence, special rules should be made to allow one-time transfers to the officials’ desired district. Biometric should be implemented for Manrega laborers.

Nagesh M. President of PDO Welfare Development Association, D.K. said, ” We have organized ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ campaign from November 2. We will protest till our demands are met. Till then, services excluding drinking water and street lights are likely to be disrupted.”