Mangaluru: Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T Khader on Wednesday clarified that,  without identifying alternative land to construct homes for the poor, the already allotted land will not be used to construct a government junior college at Konaje.

Earlier, members of the gram panchayat with the support of BJP and CPI(MS) staged a demonstration at Konaje that U.T Khader has ordered to re-allot the land, which is 4.33 acres (survey number 108-8), for the setting up of a government junior college. The protesters claimed that the land was originally allotted for building homes for the poor.

In 2013, revenue department had ordered to grant 4.33 acres of land in survey number 108-8 for housing sites.

The minister said that the land is located in the centre of the city. Hence, this place should be used to construct public utility buildings such as a college. Let the gram panchayat identify an alternative place to construct houses for the poor. Until then, we will not go ahead with the project, he said adding that it will not be re-allotted if the panchayat does not find an alternative place.