Protesters demand clearing of encroachment of rajakaluve

Urging to clear the encroached Rajakaluve at Fourth Mile in Bangra Kuloor, Mangaluru, the members of DYFI Kuloor-Panjimogaru unit staged a protest on Sunday.

Addressing the protesters, Corporator Dayananda Shetty said the encroachment of Rajakaluve led to the recent artificial flooding in Mangaluru. Had the authorities woken up on time and taken measures to check encroachment, Mangaluru would not have seen the artificial floods following the heavy rains.

The officials should not give in to any pressure. All encroachments must be cleared as per the rules and regulations. A concrete step should be taken to allow easy flow of rainwater. Legal action should be initiated against the encroachers, he said.

The protesters said that heavy rains are not new to Mangaluru. "However, the recent 25 cm rain for four hours, had marooned the entire city. This raised eyebrows at the city's poor infrastructure. Unscientific road construction, creation of new layouts by flouting the rules, encroachment of stormwater drains and dumping of soil into the drains, thus hampering the easy flow of water were responsible for marooning of areas in Kottara Chowki to Kodikal, Bangrakuloor, Fourth Mile, Kuloor, and Rayikatte and thus resulting in heavy damage."

The real estate lobby had dumped soil on vacant land from Kottara to Kuloor, said the protestors. The local corporator had submitted a complaint to the DC on the encroachment of rajakaluve, in the past.

Following the complaint, the DC had asked the Tahsildar to submit a report. The Tahsildar had revealed illegality of levelling the Rajakaluve by dumping soil on it and had submitted a report to the DC.

However, the district administration failed to clear the encroachments, due to political pressure. If the authorities fail to act, then the consequences of rain will increase in the future, the protesters warned.