Demanding the formation of Ratkal Gram Panchayat in Kalgi taluk as a Zilla Panchayat segment, hundreds of residents of Ratkal village on Wednesday took out a 45 km march and staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Thursday.
Sri Siddaram Swami of Virakt Mutt and Revansiddha Shivacharya of Hiremath, Ratkal, the former members of the taluk and gram panchayats and members of various organisations took part in the march.
Religious heads in a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner have demanded that the government form a new zilla panchayat segment with Ratkal as its headquarters and also accord revenue hobli tag for the village.
The former taluk panchayat members Dattatreya Kulkarni and Sharnabasapa Mamshetty said that Ratkal village has suitable facilities and government land for establishing government offices. The village has a police station, primary health centre, government high school, five anganwadi centres, a veterinary hospital and residential hostels for Backward Classes.
According to the 2011 census, the population of the village was 4,759, but now it has increased to more than 8,000. Arankal Gram Panchayat comprises only two wards with nine members, whereas Ratkal Gram Panchayat has four wards comprising 13 gram panchayat seats, the protestors added.
