Residents of Nellihudikeri village in Madikeri raised pressing concerns over a key central government water scheme and escalating threats from wildlife during a crucial local governance meeting. The annual gram sabha for the financial year 2025-26 became a platform for villagers to demand accountability and permanent solutions from authorities.
Water Woes: Jal Jeevan Mission Under Scrutiny
At the heart of the villagers' discontent is the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) drinking water project. Attendees at the meeting, held at the panchayat hall under the leadership of Gram Panchayat President Dhanalakshmi, openly criticized the poor quality of work executed under the flagship scheme. They expressed fears that subpar infrastructure would fail to deliver a reliable and long-term water supply to the community.
In response to these direct complaints, Jal Jeevan Mission project engineer Veerendra addressed the gathering. He provided a concrete timeline, assuring villagers that all pending and corrective works in the area would be completed by March of the coming year. This assurance aims to allay fears and set a clear deadline for the project's rectification.
Growing Menace: Human-Wildlife Conflict Takes Center Stage
Beyond water issues, a significant portion of the discussion was dominated by the increasing human-animal conflict plaguing the village. Farmers and residents accused the forest department of negligence in managing the threat. A major point of contention was the compensation process for agricultural losses. Villagers alleged that the compensation provided for crop damage caused by wildlife was inadequate and did not reflect the true economic impact on their livelihoods.
Deputy Range Forest Officer Sachin Nimbalkar was present to counter these claims. He firmly refuted the allegations of departmental negligence. Nimbalkar stated that the forest department has been actively providing appropriate compensation to affected farmers as per existing guidelines. On the specific issue of monkey infestation, which is causing considerable distress, he assured the sabha that the matter would be officially escalated and brought to the notice of higher authorities for further action.
Official Oversight and The Path Forward
The meeting saw the attendance of Sidde Gowda, Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department, who participated as the nodal officer. His presence underscored the administrative importance of the gram sabha as a forum for direct dialogue between citizens and the government machinery.
The Nellihudikeri gram sabha has successfully highlighted two critical rural challenges: infrastructure quality in government schemes and coexistence with wildlife. While officials have given verbal assurances, the community's focus will now be on the tangible outcomes—the completion of satisfactory JJM work by March and demonstrable steps from the forest department to mitigate wildlife threats. The effectiveness of these assurances will determine the trust between the villagers and the authorities in the days to come.
