Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB/EP)

Udupi, Feb 5: A group of people who have been deprived of their house sites in the Udupi municipal council and authority limits staged protests in front of the office of the deputy commissioner on Friday demanding that their rights on their property be provided.

One of the protesters Taranath said that he had bought a site 20 years ago in the municipal council limits and now he has been robbed of his rights. Speaking on the occasion Taranath said, “We are not permitted to stay in the respective sites due to legal issues. The revenue department informed us that we have committed irregularities and has asked us to get the land as per the rules."

“Urban Development Authority has received applications from us calling for the implementation of the Akrama–Sakrama scheme. But the decision on it is not final as the decision is pending in the high court. The case should be finalized soon and we hope to get justice,” he said.

Background of the case:

Back in the 1990s-2000s, several people had bought plots of agricultural land in Udupi municipal council and authority limits. They had converted the land into housing projects. Karnataka government in 1984 had issued a notification applicable across the state which maintained that there were rules for converting agricultural lands into housing projects. However, those rules were waived off in Udupi and plots of land was sold to interested buyers. As the sites were registered in the names of individual buyers, it was assumed that everything was in order. Now the revenue department raised objections to the construction of houses.

Now, those who are affected have submitted a memorandum to the additional deputy commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu.

Devu Hanehalli, Dr Kamalesh, Robert D’Souza, Vasudev Gadiyar, Sunder Shetty, Melvyn Rego and others were present.