Houses sans amenities allotted, say HIV-affected

The Upal-okayukta has directed the authorities to provide basic amenities to 97 HIV-affected backward class persons, who were allotted houses in Bengaluru Urban district without power, water and other facilities.

The complaint filed an NGO said that the flats were allotted by Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation Ltd in 2010. The allottees occupied the flats recently and have been deprived of basic amenities.

The complaint stated that the Corporation had undertaken a project to provide housing facility to 160 HIV- affected persons from backward classes and other economically weaker section in 2010. Though the government released the funds, handing over of the constructed houses was delayed for want of contribution from the HIV- affected people. After several meetings, the Social Welfare Department came forward to provide matching fund on behalf of the HIV-affected persons and subsequently amount was released in respect of nearly 97 beneficiaries.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban handed over the possession of 97 houses to the beneficiaries. However, the basic amenities such as light, drainage, water supply were not provided to these houses. The General Manager of the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation has submitted that though houses were handed over, the beneficiaries did not avail power supply by making individual payments to the Bescom. The general manager  contends that power supply was intact while handing over the houses. Subsequently, due to defect in the transformer the power was disconnected. The district authority has not distributed the hakkku patras and hence beneficiaries could not seek individual power supply,'' Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi said.

The Upalokayukta has directed the DC (Bengaluru Urban), managing director of Bescom and managing director of Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation to convene a meeting of the beneficiaries before October 16.