Bantwal: In rural areas, in the name of encroachment, acres of land is under people’s illegal acquisition. The revenue department and Gram panchayaths should look into this matter said District Incharge Minister B Ramanatha Rai.
He was addressing public representatives and department officers at a meeting organised by Bantwal Taluk Gram panchayaths Union at BC Road Taluk panchayath hall on September 9.
Government land is not available for Cemetery, waste disposal units etc. But the Revenue Department has not replied to this issue said one of the Gram Panchayath President. While replying to him, Minister said that Surveyors should take responsibility in identifying government lands. Sites or houses reserved for public purpose in rural areas should be handed over to Gram Panchayath. To ensure the right to own sites to the people who are already residing in houses, govt has implemented 94C programme. Those who have not received title even after owning house can make use of it.
The Gram Panchayath administration should make a separate list of those who do not have site nor house facility. They should only take real beneficiaries whilst preparing the list. They should not give a person more than one site or house facilities. If they do so there is a possibility of misusage of govt facilities by selling these govt lands, the minister said while directing all the panchayath, revenue officials and taluk panchayath to work unitedly to ensure sites to the poor.
He also said that surveyors should not be lazy and finish the survey soon without delay.
Panchayath presidents said hundreds of poor people who have applied for site are waiting from many years. But the sites identified by revenue department have not yet been handed over to panchayaths, so the panchayath officials are not able to answer to the people.
Some panchayath presidents complained that people have not received pension, stipend for handicapped and widows. MESCOM staff are irresponsible. They are not attending Gram Sabhas. They do not attend phone when people contact them at night. They do not bother to change wires fallen on the roads. So it is their duty to listen to our problems, they urged.
Panchayath members asked Revenue Department to take action against mining too.
Taluk Panchayath President Yashwanth Deraje, Standing Committee President Ida Suresh, members Padmashekhar Jain, Mohammad Shareef, District Panchayath Engineer Lokesh, Taluk Panchayath officer Cyprian Miranda, Panchayath representatives and District Union President Devdas Bhandary were present.
Taluk Union President Subhaschandra Shetty welcomed the gathering.
General Secretary Prabhakar Prabhu rendered the vote of thanks. Manju Vitla compered the programme.
