Led by convener of Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM) M Lakshmana, the site aspirants under the banner of Cathedral Parish Society restrained Commissioner of MUDA, P C Jayanna at his chamber.
Earlier to this, a meeting was convened at The Institution of Engineers to discuss about the same issue. Even as the meeting was underway, it came to know that Jayanna was about to leave his office. The meeting ended on abrupt note and subsequently siege was laid to MUDA situated at arms length distance from the Institution.
Jayanna who was apparently taken aback, later gave a patient hearing to the victims grievances. The victims alleged that MUDA had acquired 108 acres of land belonging to the society at Devanur third stage 17 years ago. It was promised at that time to allot sites to the beneficiaries as an alternative measure and the members had deposited amount towards the same in 1995, but to no avail.
Only on papers
Although the society members apprised MUDA officers of the issue umpteen number of times, the grievances have remained on papers, they further alleged. The agitators warned of not vacating the spot until and unless the sites were allotted. High drama was witnessed when one of the protesters Dhanush Antony from K R Pet stretched and touched the feet of Jayanna, much to the latter’s embarrassment.
In his reply Jayanna reminded the protesters of the earlier promise to allot sites under ‘Group Housing’ scheme in subsidised rate. However, it is difficult to facilitate all, he clarified, only to face the wrath of protesters.
They demanded site under the scheme for all those who had deposited the money. The protesters who didn’t show any signs of relenting, decided to continue with the meeting at the Institution of Engineers.
Father Dr Dayanidhi Prabhu, Dr Anil Thomas, Udaykumar, Raju, Saldanha, Prakash were prominent among those who attended the meeting.
