Govt will permit conversion of land in Kodagu soon: V Somanna

District In-charge Minister V Somanna expressed confidence about getting permission from the government for conversion of land in the district soon.

He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of super specialty hospital on Monday.

Somanna said that two MLAs of the district have appealed to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to direct the Revenue Department to give permission for land conversion in Kodagu as the restriction has been a bottleneck for the construction of petrol bunks and other establishments. The chief minister has responded positively. Permission will be accorded shortly, he said and added that houses will be handed over to the flood victims by the end of March, he added.

MLA Appacchu Ranjan recalled that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, during his previous tenure too, had provided a grant of Rs 1,600 crore to the district. “He had also released grant for the establishment of Sainik School in Koodige and an engineering college in Kushalnagar.”

During last year’s flood, a package of Rs 533 crore was announced and a grant of Rs 100 crore has already been released, he said.

Ranjan requested the chief minister to provide compensation to the farmers who have lost their agricultural land during landslide by sanctioning them C and D land. Also, grants should be released to take up desiltation work of Harangi, Cauvery and Hattihole, he said.

Zilla Panchayat president B A Harish, vice president Lokeshwari Gopal, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy and Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmipriya were present.