CHAPTER VI

ADMINISTRATION OF THE PANCHAYAT

A panchayat is constituted for each village and town with effect from such date as specified in
the notification issued by the Inspector.' Every panchayat is a body incorporated with the name of
village or town.2 The total number of panchayats is determined on the basis of the number of
members' which is subjected to function and change from time to time.

Every panchayat is provided with an office and is to meet at least in every month. The
meeting will be called out by the President. In the case of emergency, the President may convene a
meeting by giving a short notice. In all the meetings, the panchayat matters are opened by public
discussion and decided by the voting of the majority of the members present. In case of equality of
votes, the President has casting vote 4. The minutes of the proceedings at every meeting are
drawn up and entered in a book. It is to be signed by the presiding officer.

Panchayat meeting is meant for the administration of the panchayat. A member of the
panchayat who wishes to ask a question is asked to intimate his intention in writing to the President
by giving at least ten days notice. The President is to decide the validity of the question as well as he
can allow or disallow it. Question allowed by President is entered in the Agenda paper for a day and
president answers every question so entered5. Every vacancy in the office of president is to be
reported to the election authority by the Vice President in the case of village panchayat6.

President

The President is elected by the persons whose names are found in the electoral roll. According
to the Act of 1958, a person stands for election as president is not eligible to stand for election as a
member. The term of office of the president is five years'.

Functions of the President

The president has to convene the meetings of the panchayat. He has full access to the records
of the panchyat and discharges all the duties of panchyat imposed and exercises all the powers
confesed on the President by the panchayat Act. He acts as the link between the panchayat
and government. All the official correspondence between the panchayat and the government
are conducted through the president only.

Vice - President

The vice -President is elected by the panchayat from among its members in accordance with
such procedure as may be prescribed9.

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Committees

The Edaicode Town Panchayat constitutes an appointment Committee consists of

Bill Collector

Bill collector is engaged in the numbering house tax. Surinthran Tampy is serving as Bill
collector."

Water supply Attender

Water supply Attender attends the works associated with the storage of water in the high level
tank and release of the same. He moves about to see the position of public taps and storage tanks
and takes care of them. He informs the leakage and damages of the pipelines to the panchayat for
immediate action.

Functions and powers of Town Panchayat

The Town Panchayat takes care of the matters related to the construction repair and
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maintenance of all panchayat roads .It includes all public roads in the panchayat other than
highways and state highways Bridges, Culverts roads and dams. 13 The panchayat provides public
maintenance of ponds and the supply of drinking water to the people of the region from the most
important works of the panchayat.14 Sreethran Nair has been functioning as the President of the
Edaicode Town Panchayat. From 2001 onwards construction of drainages, lighting of 5 public roads
and public places, disposal of drainage water, cleaning of roads, removal of rubbish heaps, formation
and maintenance of ponds, supply of J-drinking water, formation of new roads, borewells and library
facilities were done by the Edaicode Town Panchayat successfully. Thus, the panchayat is bounded
by water on three sides and other side by a hill2.

Extend of Area

The area of Tamilnadu is 130,058 sq.kms. Of this Kanyakumari district occupies 1684
sq.kms., 1.29 per cent of the total extend of Tamil Nadu . Edaicode covers an area Of 10.75 sq.km
and is provided with 1725 houses.

Climate

The climate of a place depends on the atmospheric temperature, pressure, wind, humidity
cloud cover and precipitation4. Climate of Edaicode on the whole is tropical. But the flow of the river
Tamiraparani on the south and the river Kothayar on the eastern side of the panchayat makes the

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climate less tropical and more pleasant. The climate of this panchayat can be divided into three
seasons summer, winter and rainy season. Tamil Nadu lies near the equator. The sun shines more or
less vertically throughout the year. During March, April and May the sun shine vertically over and
hence it is summer for this panchyat5. During the months of November, December, January and
February it is winter in this panchayat.

1. Borewell and Mini Tank at Pallivilai 0.65

2. Borewell and Mini Tank at road side of Kudukachiviali and Mylachivilai 0.65

3. Borewell and Mini Tank at in front of the Melpuram market 0.65

4. Borewell and Mini Tank at Muttachivilai 0.65

5. Borewell and Mini'Tank at Malamari.16 0.65

6. Borewell and pipe connection with motor at Government Middle School,

Malaicode. 0.90

7. Bridge between Pilavilai and Neduvilai Road 1.45

8. A new water scheme from Ramavarman Chirai at Elanchirai 1.30

9. Joining the Mukootukal Majanlumoodu Pipeline and pump wiring

9. Change the pipe line from karode old Borewell at Kannam Chirai.17

Works from General Fund

1. Steps contructed in Paruthi pond

2. Drainage constructed at Sivankoil

3. Drainage constructed at Puthanchandai.'8

4. Cement foot path at Nellikalai

5. Cement foot path at Malaicode

6. Drainage near old post office in the 12th ward

7. Small bridge at Kallampottai Channel

8. Wall built near S.S. Concrete Block Company

9. Metal maintenance at Kudukachivilai - Chemparuthivilai Road up to Papathi River.19

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Road Development Scheme

1. Metal maintenance to Panamkuzhi Chemparuthivilai Road 2.05

2. Maintenance to Punnathanam Muthapancode Road

3. Road maintenance Pilavilai Ahattu Konam

4. Metal maintenance and Tar at Chemmankalai Pallipalai R.K 3.00 Centre

5. Cement concrete at Pattampa vilai Muthapamcode Road and steps put at Mithapan Pond

6. Road maintenance Puthanchandai Madathuvilai Road

7. Maintenance of Sivankoil-Puthanchanthai Road

8. Road maintenance Elanchirai Muthevancode

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9. Road maintenance and Tar mainatenance at Thanimoodu and Putharankonam in 8
Ward

10. Cement Concrete at Perumkulam and Padanthaparai Road.