Ponnampet taluk: Victory for decades-old fight

The decades-old struggle demanding taluk status to Ponnampet has been fulfilled with the Cabinet meeting deciding to accord taluk status to Ponnampet.

The countdown has begun for Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to make an official announcement of Ponnampet and Kaveri taluks during his visit to Kodagu on Thursday.

Ponnampet in South Kodagu is a main cultural centre in the district. It was coming under the jurisdiction of Virajpet taluk so far. Barring a tahsildar’s office, all other taluk offices are situated at Ponnampet.

The court, treasury, taluk panchayat office, PWD office, offices of social welfare department, department of backward classes, horticulture, Nada Kacheri and others are situated at Ponnampet.

Villagers from Balele, Nittur, Karmadu, Kutta, Birunani, Parakatageri, Teralu had to travel 50-km to 60-km to reach taluk headquarters of Virajpet for any work.

Demanding taluk status to Ponnampet, former MLC C S Arun Machaiah, senior advocate Mathranda Appacchu, Bheemaiah, M T Cariappa, senior leaders like Pucchimada Harish Devaiah, A A Haji, M S Kushalappa had been fighting for the last 10 years. The demand for taluk status had gained momentum in the last two years.

The proposed Ponnampet taluk will include Ponnampet hobli, Balele, Srimangala, Hudikeri hobli, 21 Gram Panchayats and 49 villages.

According to the survey conducted by Horata Samithi, Ponnampet taluk will have 2,23,507 acres of geographical area including Devamacchi, Nagarahole and Brahmagiri forest.

The taluk will have more than 100 primary schools, 50 high schools, 15 PU Colleges, two polytechnic colleges, one ITI, one degree college and one post graduation centre.

Speaking to DH, Nagarika Horata Samithi member M S Kushalappa said, “The long-pending demand of the people of Ponnampet region has been fulfilled.”