VA, RI have misled DC, allege Kudubipadav residents

Honnaya Gowda and Shyamala Bai, belonging to Kudubi community, told Deccan Herald on Monday that the officials who visited their place on the instruction of the DC, did not communicate him (the DC) that their houses were inundated during rains particularly due to the mud filled by the MSEZ.

“Instead, they have reported him that our houses get flooded since ours is a low-lying area. But it is not correct. We had never faced such a situation earlier. What is there now is an artificial flood, which is caused by the mud filled by the MSEZ, without arranging any drains,” they said.

The Kudubis in a complaint to the DC, dated May 19, had stated that the land on which the MSEZ was dumping truckloads of mud for constructing a road, was outside the area marked for the MSEZ project. They had also urged him for immediate action to see that their houses and coconut trees were safe.

“But the dumping of mud has continued. One more coconut tree has been felled,” rued Shyamala.

Honnaya said it was only on May 26, the Village Accountant visited the place, but the signatures she got on the inquest report was of those who were not the residents of the area. “Even the Revenue Inspector in his report to the Tahsildar has stated that the complainants refused to give any statement, which is also false,” he said.

“Neither VA nor RI did take account of the mud dumped by the company, making the area low-lying artificially,” he added.

New channel dug

It has been learnt that the contractors working for the MSEZ have constructed a new outlet channel connecting the Kudubi’s house with the nearby concrete drain meant for storm water, in the evening on Monday.