ADILABAD: Zilla parishad (ZP) general body meetings of Mancherial, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Nirmal and Adilabad districts are lacking substantive discussions on public issues like drinking water, roads, sanitation, crop loans, seasonal diseases or poor implementation of welfare schemes for people by the government.
What is happening mostly is ZPTC members, whether belonging to ruling party or opposition, are making sensational statements to draw public attention than discussing any serious issues related to public.
Even MLAs are not showing much interest in taking part in general body meetings of the four ZPs.
Another development is earlier, zilla parishads used to get funds from the central government and allocation used to be done at the ZP level. But now, the centre is directly releasing the 14th Finance Commission funds to gram panchayat and mandal-level institutions. As a result, ZPs have lost their importance, unlike in the past.
Moreover, chairmen and vice-chairmen of all four ZPs belong to the ruling TRS. There is no strong opposition in terms of ZPTCs seats. Discussions that can corner the ruling party are not being held. This is leading to only trading of charges between the ruling and opposition parties.
For example, at the zilla parishad meeting of Adilabad district held recently, ZP chairman Janardhan Rathod and Congress ZPTC Goka Ganesh Reddy verbal attacked each other, so much so, the chairman went on to announce the suspension of Congress ZPTC.
Shocking all, both Ganesh Reddy and Janardhan Rathod soon held a joint press meeting, announcing they had compromised among themselves and there is no public issue involved.
A senior Congress leader said a strong opposition is essential if peoples’ needs are to be served. Only then, public issues will come up for discussions in the ZP general body meeting.
“Unfortunately, in all the four districts, TRS is in power with the chairmen, vice-chairmen and majority of ZPTCs belonging to the ruling party,” the Congress leader observed.
