Udupi, 01 October 2011: Udupi Municipality members who are in the responsible positions do not want to be the witnesses while the family map is done for their wards! On Friday the regular Udupi Municipality meeting was conducted. During the meeting all the members present announced that they are not ready to sign the family maps of the people to whom they represent.
When anyone dies in a family, at the time of the family property distribution, this family map is prepared. The details of the elders of family, their children, previous dynasty, all these details will be in it. The village accountant conducts the survey and prepares this map. In order to make this document authentic it will be signed by the witnesses. But in Udupi city the people’s representatives of the wards, who are the members of Municipality, are afraid to sign as witnesses!
On Friday Tashildar arrived to this regular meeting. At this occasion the municipal members urged to Tashildar that the instructions for obtaining their signatures for witness to the family map has to be withdrawn. Senior member of municipality Dr. M.R. Pai said that, if we sign the family map now, tomorrow on any family disputes they may take us to court, he expressed fear. Mohan Upadya said that, we personally do not know all the people of the ward, so how can we sign. Sthayi Samiti member Naveen Bandary suggested that let the people obtain signatures of their neighbours.
Finally, Tashildar Prasanna said that, signing in this document is an honour to the municipal members. If there are any errors in the document it will be the responsibility of the village accountant and not the witness. Previously some of the village accountants have cheated lakhs of rupees. So we have asked the local Grama Panchayath or Municipal members to sign in it. Those who sign will not be taken to court. In Udupi district Grama Panchayaths, the members are signing these documents happily. If the Municipal members do not want to sign, then let them not sign, he said.
The meeting was presided over by Municipal President Kiran Kumar. Vice President Bharathi Chandrashekar and Paurayukta Gokuldasa Nayak were also on the dias.