Udupi: The Udupi Zilla Panchayat meeting held here on Friday unanimously resolved to urge the government for a hike in their honorarium to Rs 5000.

It was interesting to see the members who raised unnecessary debate and arguments over other issues even if it meant some burning problems, pass a unanimous resolution when it came to increasing their honorarium. The meeting also approved an action plan of Rs 89.94 crore for the year 2012-13. ZP member Manjunath Poojari defended the demand for a hike in honorarium on the grounds that the prices of all other essential commodities had increased and the Rs 1000 honorarium which the members received at present were far from suffice.

ZP Chief Katapady Shanker Poojari also said that the demand for an increase in honorarium was justifiable when the honorarium of MLAs too has increased. He also made an appeal to Kota Srinivas Poojari, MLC to pressurize the government to fulfill the demands.

Yet another member Udaya Kotian drew the attention of the ZP towards the fact that several Kannada medium schools were on the verge of closure while yet another member Anantha Movadi justified the government act of permitting English schools.

The meeting also held discussions regarding the Padoor stone crusher unit which has been facing opposition as well as regarding the contamination of well waters in Kadekar and Ambalpady GP limits.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive officer S A Prabhakar Sharma, Joint Secretary Pranesh Rao and others officials were present.