Telangana ex-sarpanch, husband lock govt school over unpaid dues

HYDERABAD: An ex-sarpanch and her husband in Rajanna Sircilla district were picked up by police on Friday after they locked a govt school in the village for two consecutive days, alleging that their pending bills had not been cleared.

The former sarpanch said she spent 22 lakh for construction of a dining hall at ZPHS and classrooms at MPPS under Mana Ooru-Mana Badi in Vallampatla village of Ellanthakunta mandal, but the bills have not yet been cleared by the govt. "Back then, we had to use personal funds because of pressure to complete work. Now, when we are asking for our dues, officials are asking us who asked you to spend money. What are we supposed to do?" questioned Kethireddy Anasuya, former sarpanch, adding that apart from Mana Ooru-Mana Badi funds, another Rs 16 lakh was pending from the gram panchayat.

She claimed that the rooms and dining hall are not yet handed over to the govt and added that they are informally letting the school use them based on the headmaster's request. "Without even considering our age, they made us sit in the police station from morning to evening. My husband is 62 years old. Who will take responsibility if something happens to him?" questioned the 54-year-old.

"We were asked to break the lock. Again, this morning the rooms were locked. After a while, police came and picked up the former sarpanch and her husband, who sat at the school demanding that the due amount be released," said D Govardhan, headmaster, ZPHS.

K Srinivas, headmaster, MPPS, said the bill for one of the three rooms constructed had been released and students were being adjusted in the remaining rooms.

Vijay Goud, sarpanch of the village, said it was not right on the part of the former sarpanch to lock the school. "It is true that bills are pending. But they can't lock classrooms. They should have given prior notice to officials first," he added.

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