GPS to check misuse of tractors by Gram Panchayat officials

KHAMMAM: Misuse of tractors in various gram panchayats has become a huge issue as complaints are pouring in against sarpanches and village secretaries for using them for their personal works.

Notices have been issued to 21 village secretaries for using tractors for works other than of gram panchayats. It is found that the sarpanches send tractors to fields belonging to his followers and relatives. Allegations and counter allegations have become common between the sarpanches and Opposition leaders in concerned gram panchayats on use of tractors.

The government encouraged all 589-gram panchayats in 20 mandals in the district to buy tractors to transport garbage to dumping yards, for shifting saplings and pouring water to them as part of Haritha Haram, to carry soil to fill up trenches on roads and other purposes. The gram panchayats bought tractors by spending Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6.5 lakh. The government has sanctioned funds to some gram panchayats where money was not available. The vehicles are useful to gram panchayats in maintaining sanitation among other things. Many habitations have been shaped as ideal villages with the right use of these tractors.

Interestingly, they are being allegedly misused in more than 100-gram panchayats. Officials received complaints from locals over sarpanches and others using them for their personal use. Such complaints came from Madhira, Errupalem, Karepalli, Kallur, Nelakondapalli, Sathupalli, Wyra and Tallada mandals.

Under these circumstances, the district officials decided to fix GPS (global positioning system) to tractors to track the movements of them. The government is spending Rs 7,000 on each device. Officials can track the location of the tractor with the help of this device. The mandal parishad development officer, divisional panchayat officer and district panchayat officer are given the login powers and they can track them. The fixing of GPS devices is commenced in Kallur mandal.