845 two-bedroom houses for flood victims by May: Khader

Minister for Urban Development and Housing U T Khader, on Thursday said that the eco-friendly houses for Kodagu flood-affected victims will be ready by six months.

In a press conference here, the minister said, the government will construct 845 two-bedroom houses. The survey of the land is completed and the sites handed over to the Deputy Commissioner, he said.

The construction work will commence on December 8 and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is likely to inaugurate the works. Each house costs Rs 9.85 lakh and the government has earmarked additional Rs 32 crore for providing infrastructure, he said.

Replying to a query, the minister said, the process of rehabilitation was not delayed. “The process is long as the government needs to identify the real victims and the details are being collected from the panchayat officials,” Khader said.

In a first for Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Khader conducted a MUDA adalat to address the long-pending problems of the people. As many as 203 applications were received and more than 50 were disposed of. The issues included delay in issuing title deeds, land acquisition, allotment of sites among the others.

There was a heated exchange of words between the minister and a few people, in connection over the delay in holding the adalat. Mysuru taluk panchayat former president Karunakar urged the minister to organise adalat once in three months. He also alleged that MUDA officials are not bothered about farmers and their lands.

Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh, Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda, MUDA Commissioner P S Kantharaju and others were present.