Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 30: In an incident which occurred at Shivajinagara in Meramajalu gram panchayat in Bantwal taluk, a house belonging to a widow was demolished by the gram panchayat. In addition to the affected lady, some gram panchayat members and members of 'Sugrama' organization have complained to the state government, accusing the president of the gram panchayat of having acted actively for this demolition.

One of the gram panchayat members, Vrinda, who is also an office bearer of 'Sugrama' organization, said that the illiterate woman concerned should have been provided with a house by the gram panchayat. Instead, it has razed down her existing hut. She said that the demolition was carried out in the presence of gram panchayat president, panchayat development officer, and several supporters.

The site in question was allotted to a person named Shekhar 15 years back under landless category. Later, he joined government service. At that time, Shobha, who does not have a site, was permitted to build house. Although Shobha built foundation for her proposed house, she could not complete house as her husband died in the meantime. She therefore erected a hut and stayed there. She had applied to revenue department, requesting to transfer the site in her name, in 2014.

In spite of all these things, the lady was rendered homeless by bringing down her hut amid heavy rain, Vrinda said. She demanded from the district administration and state government to urgently meet the loss suffered by the woman and provide her a shelter to live in. She said that copies of representations in this connection were also sent to local MLA, ministers, and zilla panchayat members.