Bastar: In a peculiar move, people of 15 wards of Bastar Nagar Panchayat have been demanding to convert Nagar Panchayat into Gram Panchayat for the last four years.
In a democratic system where Gram Panchayats are considered the smallest unit of development and Nagar Panchayat a larger unit, the villagers say the move was illegal as no consent was taken from them back in 2009.
Whereas the rule says that only after the passage from the gram sabha in the fifth schedule, the administration can take a decision of converting Gram Panchayat to Nagar Panchayat.
According to the people, the Gram Panchayat in Bastar was upgraded to a Nagar Panchayat but instead of increasing people's convenience, it decreased it. That's why they demand to go to the old system.
They have also blocked the National Highway so many time in order to make case for themselves.
Talking to ETV Bharat, Bodhram Baghel, a villager said no development has happened, our tribal customs and traditions are completely being diluted. We used to celebrate many Teej-festivals, but due to the formation of Nagar Panchayat, all the people of the village are unable to gather tgether now.
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The villagers said that 11 years have passed since the area became a Nagar Panchayat, there's hardly any development. Villagers are struggling for basic amenities.
Ganesh Ram Kashyap says that arbitrary tax is being collected from them after the formation of Nagar Panchayat. House tax, garbage tax are all being taken, but no development work is being done in lieu of this. People are saying that how can they pay this much tax? The villagers say that due to the Nagar Panchayat, the future of their children has also gone into balance.
Nagar Panchayat employees do not produce caste certificate and residence certificate without paying tax. In such a situation, many children of the village have given up education and left their studies.
Villagers are forced to drink pond water since there's no water facility in 15 wards, no roads are there. Apart from this, the purchase and sale of land of tribals is also being done indiscriminately due to Nagar Panchayat.
Kashyap says that outsiders are occupying the land and get NOC easily from Nagar Panchayat. This wouldn't have been the case if the area was a gram panchayat.
In the Nagar Panchayat, one has to travel months from pillar to post for work as no work is done easily.
Ward's councilor Ramchand Baghel says that the villagers have met all the administrative officials, past and present chief ministers requesting for development work to be carried out. Applications have also been submitted to the Governor and Urban Administration Minister but nothing happens.
All the efforts go in vain.
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The villagers say that the local MLA of Bastar Lakeshwar Baghel has assured that the Gram Panchayat will be made in three months. If the Nagar Panchayat is not made a Gram Panchayat in these 3 months, then the villagers will be be forced to agitate, they say.
Panchayat and Rural Development Minister TS Singhadeva has said to find a middle ground in this matter. He said that the government has to think at its level. We are talking among ourselves. Gram panchayats do not have the development that can be done in the city. On the other hand, the right to become a sarpanch only for the tribal society can change in the scheduled area. Therefore, you will have to decide between the path.
