Government departments at loggerheads over site allotment

The Social Welfare department and the Horticulture department appear to be at loggerheads over allotment of a site for Ambedkar Bhavan.

Out of 128 acres in survey number 200 of Mudigere, 19 acres have been reserved for gomala while 105 acres had been allotted to the Horticulture department for the purpose of setting up horticulture college. The college has developed a chikoo garden on this land. A borewell has also been sunk on the said land to meet the drinking water requirement of the hostel students.

On May 25, 2016, the district administration sanctioned five acres in the said survey number to the Social Welfare department for construction of Ambedkar Bhavan. The department, on Wednesday, began to fence its land by hiring 25 labourers. But, the situation turned tense after the college staff raised objection to the work. Sources in the Revenue department said that the officials of Assistant Director of Land Records have taken up a survey to identify the land allotted. The Social Welfare department has erected 109 stone pillars and further work has been stopped on the orders of the tahsildar. The tahsildar said that though the district adminstration had sanctioned the land, a sketch had not been prepared, which led to the confusion.

Taluk Social Welfare Officer Dhananjay said that Rs 50 lakh had been sanctioned for the construction of Ambedkar Bhavan and the work was not started as the land was not allotted. The previous deputy commissioner, during his visit to the land, had issued directions for starting the work on Ambedkar Bhavan. The department has proper documents, he added.

Horticultural department staff said that the horticultural college in Mudigere was one of the best colleges in the country. Sapota trees have been grown on the land and researches are being conducted. Construction of the Bhavan on the land which has been already allocated to the college, is not acceptable.

Dalit leaders said that it would not be prudent to build Ambedkar Bhavan at an isolated place. The horticultural college has additional land, which can be utilised for the Bhavan, they said.
DH News Service