New houses for 8 displaced Koraga families

Mangaluru: Final touches to the houses being constructed for eight Koraga families who lost their homes when National Highway Authority of India acquired their land, is being carried by the  Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Karnataka Adivasi Hakkugala Samanvaya Samiti since the culmination of the election.

The land belonging to the Koraga families near Nanthoor Circle in the city was acquired, no compensation was given to them since they did not possess property documents and hence, the Left party and the Samiti lend them a helping hand.

The government land near Nanthoor on which the tribal community resided was acquired for widening the Kochi – Panvel national highway. The displaced families will receive the keys to their new houses on Sunday.

Samiti convner Krishnappa Konchady said, “Though the families were living in the land, they were not given fair compensation and rehabilitation during land acquisition seven years ago. All the families are socially and economically weak and did not have any support. Hence, we formed a house construction committee and constructed eight houses at a cost of Rs 6.5 lakh each at Kotimura near Kulshekhar in the city.”

The Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) sanctioned Rs 1 lakh each for the project, he informed.

“Though the families received support from ITDP and MCC, it was not sufficient to build the houses, Hence, the Samiti pooled money to complete the project,” said Konchady.

“We raised our voice and held protests when the families were vacated from their dwellings. As a result, the district administration shifted the families to rented houses and offered to provide rehabilitation. However, official apathy delayed the rehabilitation and the sanctions from the government were insufficient too. Hence, the Samiti along with party workers pooled money from well-wishers,” said CPI(M) leader Muneer Katipalla.