'Flood victims to get houses at Karnangeri by July 31'

Revenue Minister R V Deshpande directed the district officials to hand over the houses built for the natural calamity victims at the rehabilitation site in Karnangeri before July 31 and those in Madenadu before August 15.

He chaired a review meeting at Old Fort Hall in Madikeri, after visiting the rehabilitation site at Karnangeri in Madikeri taluk on Wednesday.

“If any eligible victims have been deprived of the houses, the applications submitted by them should be considered to provide them with rehabilitation,” said the minister.

Assistant Commissioner T Javaregowda said that 431 houses were damaged due to flash floods and landslides in Kodagu last year. As many as 405 houses were partially damaged and 431 houses are being constructed in the first phase and are in the final stage of construction.

“A total of 1,200 applications were received by the district administration from victims towards houses during the special adalat. The applications are being looked into,” the official added.

Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation engineer Shrinivas said that the work on 35 houses in Karnangeri and 80 houses in Madenadu is complete
and they are ready to be occupied. The work of 120 houses in Jambur has reached the stage of the roof. Foundation of 150 houses has been completed.

Speaking at the meeting, MLA K G Bopaiah urged for houses to be provided to all those who are affected by the natural calamity.

“Even though the land has been earmarked for construction of houses in Sampaje and Galibeedu, the work is yet to be initiated,” said the MLA.

Bopaiah meanwhile complained that the Forest Department personnel lodge cases against poor people who collect firewood from forest areas.

But they turn a blind eye towards the illegal transportation of loads of timber by influential persons, he added.

He also alleged that Virajpet Probationary Tahsildar Govindaraj has been posing hurdles for people who wish to construct houses in their own farmland.

‘Open fire at poachers’

Deshpande said that the Forest Department should be liberal on the issue of providing basic facilities in the tribal hamlets situated in forest areas. The Forest Department officials could exhibit a humanitarian gesture, adhering to the law at the same time.

“However, the forest poachers should not be spared at any cost. If the need arises, open fire on those poachers who illegally fell trees in the forest in large scale and transport them,” a furious R V Deshpande added.

Taking Virajpet Probationary Tahsildar Govindaraj to task, R V Deshpande warned of initiating disciplinary action against the official if he continues to create problems for people.

Objecting to the conditions posed by the Revenue Department for the conversion of lands in Kodagu towards construction of houses, MLC Sunil Subramani said that even though 32 villages lying under the jurisdiction of nine gram panchayats are affected by the natural calamity, the condition for land conversion has been applied to all 104 gram panchayats which is incorrect.

Defending the Revenue Department’s move, minister R V Deshpande said that the conditions have been laid as a precautionary measure, as per the advice of the experts.

FIR against DCF

MLA K G Bopaiah alleged DCF Mariya Christaraju was posing obstructions to the drawing of an electricity line to the tribal hamlets in Maldare.

District In-charge Minister Sa Ra Mahesh directed the deputy commissioner to lodge an FIR against the DCF. Meanwhile, he directed the concerned to clear the pending applications towards electricity connection within two days.

Revenue Department Principal Secretary Rajkumar Khatri, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Regional Commissioner Yashwanth, Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar and Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmi Priya took part in the meeting.

Don’t underestimate actors: Harshika

Responding to a remark made by actor Harshika Poonacha on the quality of houses in the rehabilitation sites, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande said in Madikeri on Wednesday that the quality of the houses built by Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation is good.

The actor had stated in a press conference in Mysuru recently that the roof and ventilation of the model houses proposed by the state government for natural calamity victims in Kodagu, were not up to the mark and she had suggested the government to improve the same.

Following dissent to her comment, Harshika Poonacha uploaded a video on Twitter on June 16, stating that as a native of Kodagu and as an engineer, she felt that she had a right to raise the point.

“Please do not underestimate film actors,” she said and added that many people from film background have made it to top positions in politics.