‘MLA obstructing G+3 residential complex work’

Former MLA J R Lobo has accused Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath of stalling the proposed G+3 housing complex for the poor in Shaktinagar.

Lobo told reporters at the DCC office on Wednesday that Kamath had alleged that the G+3 housing scheme for 930 economically less privileged people was not implemented due to misappropriation of funds. He also accused Kamath of backing the environmental activist who had submitted an appeal to the government declaring that the land identified for the project was a deemed forest.

Lobo said that the earlier government had sanctioned Rs 61.5 crore for the project and approval was obtained during his tenure. “Funds of Rs 5.58 crore were released in the first instalment by the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation. The RTC record of the land was updated where it has been mentioned that the land is reserved for urban housing. On March 3, 2018, the MCC paid Rs 1.72 lakh to the Forest Department,” said Lobo.

“But an environmentalist, backed by Kamath, filed a complaint with the Forest Department that the land was a deemed forest and the department withdrew its permission on July 28, 2018 to develop the land into a residential site,” said Lobo and added that his efforts to get the project sanctioned had gone in vain following Kamath’s conspiracy. “The sitting MLA, as the chairman of the Ashraya scheme, is responsible for completion the housing project,” he pointed out.

“The allegations of misappropriation of KUDCEMP funds were totally false. I have documents with me to prove my innocence. Kamath should explain to the public his achievements for the past 10 months,” Lobo challenged.

“Kamath has been inaugurating programmes which I had got approved. The projects sanctioned during my tenure are now stagnating. The musical fountain at Kadri Park lacks maintenance. No work has been taken up on Phase-2 of KUDCEMP, development of Gujjarakere, Balamangala express, and Mangala indoor sports complex,” he added.

Lobo also sought to know the contribution of Kamath to the Smart City project.