K'taka govt planning permanent solution for flood-affected families

Bengaluru: The government has come forward with a plan to identify flood-prone areas in the State and build permanent housing colonies for families living in such areas.

There are plans to transfer 6 lakh hectares of land categorized as ‘deemed forest’ to the Department of Revenue out of which 1.5 hectares could be used for the housing project.

Over 2000 families have been displaced by floods in many districts of the State in the past 2 years.

Rebuilding homes at their current land could again be a cause of problem for the families. Thus the government’s intends to build a permanent colony for them at an alternative place.

In the meantime, the government amended the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964’s clause 94A (4) and decided to give land to cultivators who applying using Form 57.

Under the same Act, clause 94C and 94CC allows regularisation of houses built by poor families on government land in rural areas. The government has received many application under this clause.

Revenue Department officials have stated that most of the land for which applications have been received under both the clauses have been categorized as deemed forest. As 6 lakhs of these forest land have been handed over to the Revenue Department applications would be settled soon.