The Zilla Parishad general body meeting on Sunday witnessed noisy scenes as several elected representatives of the opposition parties grilled the officials concerned over the issues related to public health, water and social security pensions.
A heated debate ensued between Sattupalli MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah of the TDP and the Zilla Parishad chairperson G Kavitha when the former raised the issue of prevalence of vector borne diseases and highlighted the need for release of water from the Nagarjunasagar Project (NSP) for rabi crops.
Stating that such issues can be raised in the State Assembly, Ms Kavitha advised the MLA to give an opportunity to the ZPTC members to represent their issues.
Irked by her remarks, Mr Venkata Veeraiah sought to know the rationale behind asking the MLAs to remain silent after inviting them to participate in the ZP general body meeting. “You cannot restrain us from raising public issues,” he said amid noisy scenes.
Several ZPTC members brought the gaps in healthcare delivery system in the remote areas mainly in the tribal sub-plan (TSP) mandals to the notice of the chairperson.
Some ZPTC members representing the TSP mandals of Kothagudem division requested the district administration to ensure the stay of the medical staff in the PHCs and provision of mobile diagnostic and healthcare services in the remote areas.
A section of the ZPTC members of Khammam division sought revival of multi-drug treatment for persons afflicted with filariasis and sanction of pensions to the latter under the physically challenged category.
Ms Kavitha asked the Health Department officials to ensure stay of the staff and adequate stock of medicines in the PHCs.
Asserting that provision of pensions under the Aasara scheme was a continuous process, she said all the eligible persons will be covered under the scheme.
Collector K Ilambarithi, Joint Collector K Surendra Mohan and others were present.
The meeting passed two resolutions seeking release of water from the NSP for rabi crops under the left canal system in the district and reducing the age of eligibility for old age pensions under Aasara scheme from the existing 65 years to 60 years.
