‘Houses built for flood victims are best of quality’

The houses built for the flood victims in Made and Jamburu are of best quality according to my knowledge, said Kodagu District In-charge Minister V Somanna.

Addressing mediapersons here, on Friday, he said it was not right to make allegations for political reasons. He said that he had checked the quality of the houses.

The minister said that the programme of handing over the houses, scheduled on May 29, had been postponed. The houses will be handed over to the beneficiaries before June 5, he added.

Leaders and elected representatives will be invited to the programme as per the protocol, he said.

Replying to a query, Somanna said, “What is important is that the facility reaches the beneficiaries. It is not important who has implemented the project."

The minister meanwhile stated that there was a plan to construct 10 lakh houses in urban and rural areas in the next two years.

450 people under quarantine

Later speaking at a meeting, the minister said that 450 people had been quarantined in the district.

"Our district cannot be compared to Bengaluru. People have given their cooperation to the district administration in implementing the lockdown guidelines."

Somanna further stated that migrant labourers in the district had traveled to Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states. Many other labourers have requested the district administration to send them to their native places. But, the respective states are yet to give their permission, he added.

Follow live updates on coronavirus here

MLA K G Bopaiah said that the vehicles transporting fish and pork into the district should be subjected to thorough checking at the check posts, as there are chances of beef being transported in these vehicles. He requested the people coming from other districts to get themselves voluntarily tested for COVID-19.

MLC Veena Acchaiah said that the rainy season was approaching. But, the driftwood have not been cleared. “If the wood is not cleared, I will hold a dharna in front of the forest department office,” she added.

Mobix organisation Kodagu branch manager handed over 14,000 masks to the minister, for distribution among students taking SSLC examination.

MP Prathap Simha, Kodagu Zilla Panchayat President B A Harish, MLA Appachu Ranjan, MLC Sunil Subramani, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, District Superintendent of Police Suman D Pannekar and Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmipriya were present.