Karkala: The several families  who were sanctioned Ashraya sites in the  414 acre land in Chaara of Hebri village Karkala are finally a relieved lot, thanks to the  High Court ruling in their favour.

Speaking at a meeting of the 211  families of Chaara village on June 22, Sunday,  former MLA H Gopal Bhandary said they have only fought for the cause of the poor and the truth has now prevailed.

He further said the BJP did injustice to the poor and the  Siddaramaiah Government which evinced interest in the case  moved the High Court and ensured a favourable judgement.

On this occasion, he also appealed to the local panchayat to mark boundaries and allot sites to the beneficiaries.

Neere Krishna Shetty, former president of Hebri Panchayat who was in the lead in the movement for justice,  Mudradi Manjunatha Bhandari,  ZP member, HK Sridhar Shetty, Human Rights Activist, Saneeja Shetty, President of Pragathi Para Nagarika Seva Samithi, Babu, Hebri Panchayat Vice President and others were present.

The case: In the year 2004-2005, the revenue department  in Karkala at the recommendations of the local MLA had  sanctioned Ashraya house sites to 244 families in Chari of Hebri village. Title deeds were also granted to a few and many ventured into house construction. However, their joy was shortlived as  the then Kundapur AC cancelled the sanction of lands citing that it was a forest land.

Several protests and movements followed. Neere Krishna Shetty and many others moved the High Court which in the year 2007 itself had censured the revenue department and forest department for snatching the lands  from the poor.