Houses built for siteless misused

Most of the houses built for the siteless at Tatkola a decade ago are now occupied by people who are well to do, it is said.

The district administration had built houses for the siteless in Hantoor Gram Panchayat limits after clearing the encroached sites.

Also, land was given to farmers who lost their agricultural land at Kademadkal, Jen-ubailu, Mannikere and other places. The houses at Hosanagar, which is closer to the town, are being purchased from people belonging to Scheduled Castes at low rates and are later sold at higher rates. The racket is active in the place and out of the 35 houses, many have been sold out, it is learnt.

The influential people, who have purchased the houses, have also encroached the land, next to their 30x40 sites given by the district administration, thus clearing the houses in the neighbourhood after purchasing them. New houses are built at the extended sites.

The local residents have complained that the empty sites in Hosanagar are also being illegally procured by influential people. Despite, the condition that the sites and land given to the siteless cannot be sold before 15 years, the law is being flouted, by making agreements with the siteless, to those the sites are being allocated, it is said.

The people, who are now depending on daily wages, are selling the sites, to bear the expenses, such as marriages of their children. The sites in Hosanagar come under the district administration and the responsibility is not handed over to the Gram Panchayat.

The Gram Panchayat is only entitled to collect water and electricity charges. Hence, action cannot be initiated by the Gram Panchayat, Halemudigere Gram Panchayat PDO said.

A villager said people from Madikeri, Sakaleshpur and other areas have been purchasing such sites. Many purchasers have also started the cultivation of land after encroaching the nearby lands, he added. 

The siteless in Hosanagar and Patehitlu villages are still deprived of basic facilities. The farmers, who were once earning livelihood by cultivating their own land, are now working as labourers in the lands of others, the villagers said and urged the district administration to initiate action against the violators of law.