'Illegal buildings claimed our kin's lives'

Illegal buildings that have come up at a higher reach from our houses and poor quality of retaining walls built around it have claimed the lives of four persons, at Thottilaguri, said victims of the Dalit colony.

The authorities have shifted all the 18 families to taluk panchayat building near Bajpe panchayat.

Annu, one of the residents of the colony said “poor quality of retaining wall claimed the lives. Illegal buildings that have come in the vicinity have been encroaching our land for the past two years. The building owners had laid a pipe for letting out the sewage water. The retaining wall was built above the pipe.”

On the other hand, Bajpe gram panchayat authorities had convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday. Though the Tahsildar had promised to provide alternative three cents land at Porkodi to construct houses, the colony residents demanded five cents land and refused to get evicted.

They said “we will not leave our land till we are being rehabilitated. We will leave our land, only after we get a house and title deed. Why the gram panchayat is silent over the illegal buildings?” they asked.

Bajpe Gram Panchayat President Pradeep Suvarna said, “after shifting the families, we have given rice, dal, tea powder, kerosene, stove, water tank and fire woods to the victims.”

He said “the gram panchayat had issued notices to the building owners. There is a need to  probe into the illegal buildings that have mushroomed.”

On the other hand, PDO G Sadananda said that the building owners have promised to help the families to construct their houses.

Rains recede

Heavy rains that lashed across the district on Tuesday receded on Wednesday. In the last 24 hours, the district has received an average of 38.4 mm rainfall. This includes 59 mm in Bantwal taluk, Mangalore—49.1 mm, Puttur—33.3 mm, Belthangady—28.4 mm and Sullia—22.4 mm. Atleast nine houses have been partially damaged in Mangalore taluk. A cow shed has been damaged at Moodbidri.

In Udupi

Sea erosion has intensified at Trasi in Udupi.

A few coconut trees have been washed away by the waves. If the erosion continues, then a 250 metre road is likely to be washed away.

Nirmithi Kendra officer Dinesh and Ports department Executive Engineer visited the spot and promised to take up temporary work to check sea erosion from Thursday.