The city Corporation is making yet another attempt to resolve the land issues and revive the housing project for Scheduled Caste (SC) families proposed at Mannammoola. Since 2015, the 1.72 acres of land has been occupied by a few families under the leadership of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Ambedkar Democratic Party of India, who have put up tents here.
On Friday, the Corporation convened an all-party meeting, involving local leaders of various political parties to discuss the issue. However, the BSP leaders stayed away from the meeting. The civic body plans to construct flat complexes here for landless and homeless SC families, under the LIFE (Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) housing project.
Their demand
According to Corporation officials, the protesters have demanded that individual houses and land be provided to around 40 families who are still staying there. Officials say there are only around six families there at present, with the rest having shifted to other places. Some own land and house at other locations. Also, the demand for individual houses and land is unfeasible as only few families can be accommodated, said the officials. They added that anyone eligible for a house will be provided one under the project.
Mannammoola was one of the housing projects under the Union government’s Basic Services for the Urban Poor (BSUP). The land was bought using SC development funds in 1998. In 2007, the Corporation prepared a detailed project report of ₹1.71 crore for 45 SC/ST families in Mannammoola. Due to local opposition and shortage of enough implementing agencies it got delayed, and was scrapped later.
Approaching HC
BSP leader V.K. Rajendran, one of the leaders of the agitation at Mannammoola, claimed that they have already approached the High Court, demanding houses be constructed for 40 families on the land, with three cents of land for each family.
He said certificates from village officers concerned, showing that the 40 families belong to the SC category and are landless, have been submitted to the court. He said that he did not participate in the meeting as they were against other local politicians being called for the meeting.
