A house is a structure used for habitation by people that generally has walls and a roof to shelter its enclosed space from wind, heat, cold, and other elements. Owning a house is everybody’s dream in life. But everybody can not afford to own a roof over one’s head. Government has brought in a scheme wherein houses will be constructed and distributed at low cost to the poorest of the poor. However, Ashraya houses constructed under Rajiv Gandhi Grameena Ashraya Yojane at Ombathukere in Ullal is a sheer example of apathy of the Government, corruption and irregularities in the entire system.
   Ashraya houses are in the lurch and are mired in legal battles. As many as 392 houses have been constructed in nearly five acres of land.
   Localites say that the entire region where Ashraya houses have been constructed was a thick forest before the construction in 2001. Once the government acquired the land, the entire forest has been destroyed. The houses have been constructed in most unscientific way with no proper sanitation facilities. The semi finished houses do not have proper flooring, doors and windows. The gap between houses is so narrow that if one throws the garbage outside his house, it will fall inside another’s house. With the absence of toilets in such a colony, the environment is bound to be affected. Some of the houses have already developed cracks and some are on the verge of collapse even before the inauguration!
   The creepers, wild plants and dust seems to have acquired the entire region. It has also become hotspot for illegal activities, say some localites.
   Town Panchayat Chief Officer has written a completion letter to the Deputy Commissioner in 2002 which states “the acquired site is a hilly region. Before the construction of the houses, we have levelled the land. Drainage facilities have been provided to the site, so that the drains do not enter the temple pond.”
   However, the assurances in the report remains only in paper and has not been implemented in reality. No provision has been made for the free flow of the rain water. As a result, the rain water along with the eroded soil flows into the arecanut garden resulting in artificial flooding. This has forced the residents to file a public interest litigation against the Ashraya houses. Based on the complaints, the Court has passed injunction order against the occupation.
   The order issued by the principal judge on November 20, 2006 states that “they shall complete the underground drainage system. After the completion of the underground drainage system, they are at liberty to allot or construct the houses as per the proposed plan.”
   The court order has also stopped the KUIDFC from constructing toilets in the houses. KUIDFC has constructed 150 toilets.
   Recently, the Deputy Commissioner had constituted a Committee comprising of officials from Geological Survey, Pollution Control Board, Underground water and Environment Officer to inspect the spot and submit a report to the Deputy Commissioner.
   The report states that “the waste water from the Ashraya houses should not be let into the nearby natural ponds. If the scientific measures are not undertaken, then there is a possibility of change in the quality of water in the region.”
   The localites demand that it is better if the houses are demolished and the land being handed over to the forest department.
   They also feel that after the destruction of forest for the construction of houses, the natural springs which used to flow throughout the year, have stopped flowing throughout the year.
   With all the legal battles and adverse report against the Ashraya houses, will the house be allotted to the beneficiaries is a million dollar question.