Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Feb 2: The members of this family has been knocking at the doors of the municipality for the last five years, with the dream of having a house of their own. Their problems have persisted, and this is the story of Suraksha's family which lives at Mandarabail near Kemmije here. The family is always fearful about the likelihood of the walls of their home crumbling on account of weak structure.

Suraksha's father, Prakash Poojary, is suffering from ill health. She lives with her father, mother, and a younger brother. Prakash was living in government land for the last 25 years and has a 2.5 cent site in his name. His house is dilapidated and has only one light under which his children have studied. Prakash confesses that the money they spent on government office visits would have been enough to build a tiny house.

A Kerala based organization had contacted this family with promise to build house for them. Prakash Poojary was told that they would collect amount of Rs ten lac from foreign donors and build a house for him. The organization also shot a video of the family, spread it over the social media, and sought help from the people. It is said that over Rs five lac has already been collected. Local Hindu activists have alleged that the activists from Kerala are trying religious conversion by promise of help.

Prakash says that the Kerala organization had told him that the government will take over five years to build a house for him but they can build house for him within three months. He says that his family agreed because of this promise.

Suraksha had several times requested the previous municipal administration for help, duly providing documents needed. After the video went viral, the municipal president Jeevandhar Jain and several leaders visited the house and verified their condition.