HYDERABAD: Village development committees (VDCs) in northern Telangana have come under the scanner for boycotting communities, with victims approaching the police and courts in multiple instances.
While the main functions of VDCs are to plan development, resolve disputes and help people. Sarpanchs, ward members and mandal parishad territorial constituency (MPTC) members are elected from respective villages.
While VDCs were formed to minimise the powers of elected representatives, and are generally represented by at least two members of each caste of the village, it has turned out as a parallel self-government at the grassroots level.
Officials said that VDCs are emboldened due to overflowing funds as they collect ‘goodwill’ from liquor and toddy shops in their respective villages. They also get money from sand and gravel quarrying, irrespective of its legality. As the village is represented by the VDC, no one raises objections.
However, problematic decisions like boycotting families or castes cause public outrage.
Recently, the VDC of Shapur village in Nandipet mandal socially boycotted 86 Munnurukapu families. Similarly, members of the Goud community were ostracised in Jakranpally of Nizamabad district.
In both instances, victims filed a police complaint and approached the High Court.
Despite legal remedies being sought, villagers in both instances faced an array of issues as washermen refuse to accept their clothes and barbers refuse to cut their hair, and stores also do not allow purchases of provisions or luxury items.
E. Chinna Reddy, a resident of Armoor, said that VDCs resolve their problems quickly. “Setting aside political lines, VDCs work in the interest of the entire village. Sometimes, few VDC members take controversial decisions. Even outskirts villages of municipal towns have also set up VDCs for rapid development in their areas,” he said.
