Mangalore: Victims of MCC's Eviction Drive at Shaktinagar Take to Streets
Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (TU)
Mangalore, Apr 2: People who had been rendered homeless after their houses were bulldozed by City Corporation on April 1, staged protest in front of the MCC building here on Thursday April 2.
Addressing the demonstrators corporator Mariamma Thomas condemned the act and said that houses were bulldozed all of a sudden without giving any prior notice to the residents. "Corporation could have taken up other development works such as construction of road and providing adequate water instead of destroying houses belonging to poor people. Corporation should give compensation and title deeds to the victims," she urged.
The authorities have also bulldozed a terrace house which has ration card, water connection and electricity connection. They should have conducted a proper investigation on this before evicting the house, she said.
Imthiyaz, vice-president, DYFI said that Corporation officials are mute spectators regarding some multi-storied buildings in the city which have license to build only limited floors. But on the other hand they want to become ‘hero’ by bulldozing small houses of poor. DYFI leaders Sunil Kumar Bajal, Deviprasad Shetty also addressed the protestors.
A memorandum was also submitted to the commissioner Shameer Shukla. He said that he has powers to raze illegal settlements and establishments without prior notice. Constructing a building in government land without permission is clearly a violation of norms.
Protestors shouted slogans against the commissioner and city corporation. Some of the victims also expressed their woes.