Protesters squat in Karnataka's Lakkundi gram panchayat seeking land rights

GADAG: The protest staged by around 200 people, including women, at the Lakkundi gram panchayat, seeking issuance of title deeds to the beneficiaries of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation scheme, entered sixth day on Saturday.
The protesters have been camping at the office round the clock. Even as two villagers have approached the Lokayukta court in Bengaluru, the officials are yet to respond to their demands.
The protesters, Mariyappa Vaddar, Nagamma Halinavar, Suvarna Hatti, Sumangala Patil, Huvavva Nandappanavar, said that they were allotted sites in 2018 and 2022 but the officials have not yet issued the title deeds.
“We are protesting since February 27 but the taluk administration is yet to resolve our issue. Condemning the officials’ indifference, we have launched a hunger strike on a rotation basis. Whenever we ask, the officials say that the case is pending with the court and hence, they can’t issue the title deeds. They are not sharing the exact information pertaining to the issue,” they rued.
Though Gadag tahsildar Mallikarjun Heggannavar visited the spot on Friday and tried to pacify the protesters, they did not budge.
Lakkundi has a population of over 18,000.
It is said that no site was allotted to the beneficiaries for the past 25 years and a landowner had disputed the gram panchayat’s move in the court.
However, the court dismissed the case and permitted the gram panchayat to allot sites to the beneficiaries.
However, Ashok Meti, a differenly-abled person, and a widow filed separate cases at the Lokayukta court in Bengaluru alleging that the norms were not followed in selecting the beneficiaries.
Meti told TOI that GP officials and members have allotted sites to those who have a minimum of 1-2 houses and sufficient assets. “My wife and I are physically challenged and we don’t have a house. We own a small shop at Lakkundi. Many needy persons, like us, are living in rented houses but sites were allotted to landlords. When we requested GP officials to conduct a local inquiry before choosing the beneficiaries, they didn’t do that, ” he added.
Panchayat Development Officer Shivaleela Angadi refused to comment on the issue.