Houses for flood victims: MLAs express displeasure

Legislators M P Appachu Ranjan and K G Bopaiah accused the state government of using delaying tactics in the construction of houses for the natural calamity victims.

Speaking to reporters, the MLAs expressed displeasure at the state government for providing a contract to those from outside the district in road work and failing to earmark grants for observing Field Marshal Cariappa Jayanthi.

Appachu Ranjan said, “The state government had promised to construct houses for the victims a month ago. Unfortunately, not even one house has been constructed. The target for Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation is 50 houses per month. It looks like it may take two years to complete the work.”

He said the district’s contractors have responded during the natural calamity that hit Kodagu in the month of August. In spite of the delay in the release of funds, they had taken up the temporary repair of the roads. Now, all the works taken up by the Public Works Department and the Zilla Panchayat’s Engineering Division have been entrusted to a contractor from K R Nagar. It is an injustice to the local contractors, he charged.

Bopaiah said that there was a delay in identifying the land for the construction of houses for the flood victims. The government has failed to respond to the woes of the victims. The district will receive rain in another three months. The work on the houses are moving in a snail’s pace, he alleged.

He charged that there is a shortage of district-level officers in Kodagu district. The posts are not filled after the transfer of officials. The government is engaged in transfer business, he alleged.

MLC Veena Acchaiah said, “I was not aware that the funds were not earmarked for Field Marshal Cariappa birth anniversary. The issue will be brought to the notice of the state government. The transfer of officials, who were working for the flood victims, has saddened us.”