JOIN US'Clear unauthorised construction on manna land'
Parishishta Jaathi/Parishishta Pangadagala Abhivruddhi Samithi staged a protest on Monday demanding clearance of unauthorised construction on 1.20-acre DC manna land (reserved for depressed class) at Marakada.
Dalit Sangharsha Samithi (Ambedkar Vada) district convener Rohithaksha, who addressed the protesters in front of the Mangaluru City Corporation building, said that the construction of unauthorised buildings by encroaching upon the DC manna land at Marakada should be halted immediately. A case should be registered against Mangaluru mayor and Mangaluru City Corporation commissioner under the SC and ST (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act for allowing the encroachers to take up the construction work, he demanded.
Dalit leader Ashok Konchadi said that the said land was reserved for depressed class in 1934. “In spite of this, the mayor has stated that he had no knowledge on it. The encroachments upon DC manna land should be cleared. The land has been used for parking of heavy vehicles, storing of gravel, iron rods, and sand. At a Janasamparka meeting on March 22, 2015, MLA Mohiuddin Bava had promised Rs 50 lakh for the construction of the Ambedkar Bhavan on the said land. In fact, he had even written to the DC in this regard,” reminded Konchadi.
He said that the survey of the said DC manna land should be carried out and a boundary of the land should be identified. “Under the 24.75% grant for the welfare of Dalits, a compound wall should be constructed to the land, to arrest further encroachment of the land. A training centre for SC/ST students and a library should be set up on the land, which should also be distributed among eligible poor Dalits for the construction of houses,” Konchadi added.
The Dalit leader said that the district has 8,400 acre DC manna land. “Majority of the land has been encroached upon by the rich and influential individuals, however, the officials have not taken the issue seriously,” he criticised.
Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer met the protesters and promised to look into the issue.