Bhatkal: Residents of Jali staged a protest outside the Jali Pattan Panchayat office, opposing a proposal to upgrade Jali Pattan Panchayat, Bhatkal Town Municipal Council (TMC), and Heble Gram Panchayat, aiming to merge them to establish a Bhatkal CMC (City Municipal Council).

Protesters besieged the Jali Pattan Panchayat office, vehemently opposing the inclusion of Jali Pattan Panchayat into the CMC, citing concerns over escalating tax burdens on local residents. They highlighted that the conversion of Jali Gram Panchayat into Pattan Panchayat seven years ago had already resulted in increased tax rates without commensurate development projects or benefits for the area.

Protestors argued that further elevating the status of Pattan Panchayat and incorporating it into the CMC would only exacerbate the tax burden, making it unbearable for the hardworking population. They adamantly demanded that Pattan Panchayat should not be included in the CMC under any circumstances.

During the protest, the Chief Officer was confronted by the protestors, who demanded the presence of the Tehsildar, who serves as the administrator, to address their grievances.

Although Chief Officer Manjappa attempted to reassure the protestors about the benefits of establishing a city municipal council, emphasizing increased grants for the town, he clarified that the proposal did not originate from him. Despite his efforts to placate the protestors by offering to forward their written requests to the Deputy Commissioner, they insisted on the Tehsildar's presence to accept their appeal.

Later in the afternoon, Tehsildar Thippeswamy arrived at the scene and listened to the protestors' complaints. Despite his attempts to persuade them about the advantages of the municipal council, the protestors remained steadfast in their opposition. They submitted a memorandum to the Tehsildar, reiterating their firm stance against the implementation of the proposal to include Jali Pattan Panchayat in the CMC, warning of further protests if their concerns were disregarded.