With the election of the president of the Edamalakkudy tribal grama panchayat to take place on Monday, the stage is set for the local body to begin discharging its work.
A temporary panchayat office will be set up at the community hall. The community hall which was constructed by the forest department nearly eight years' back will be handed over to the panchayat after some repair works are done.
Six panchayat staff including a secretary will be deputed to the grama panchayat. Already, two clerks have been appointed and a special officer has been posted. The basic furniture items including chairs and tables will be supplied by the Forest Protection Council.
District Collector Ashok Kumar Singh said that buildings and a motorable road to the panchayat are needed and it will take some more time to bring the grama panchayat on par with other panchayats.
The district administration is also planning to make use of Ham radio service operators in the settlements to facilitate communication between remote settlement areas with the collectorate in Painavu. An official team had already visited Edamalakkudy to tap the potential of Ham radio services. Mr Singh said that alternative methods of communication will be sought in Edamalakkudy till basic facilities are set up there.
