Former CM Siddaramaiah Visits Pachanady Dumpyard
Mangaluru: Former CM Siddaramaiah visited Pachanady dumping yard and met the residents of the area who lost their property and houses in Pachanady and Mandara on August 31.
A resident of the affected area briefing the former CM of the problems they face said, “70 acres of land had been destroyed, 12 houses are completely damaged and 27 houses partially damaged. We have shifted 27 families to the housing board building and they are waiting for the relief. We are in a state of confusion and do not know whether the corporation or the government is providing us compensation. Our area corporator has helped in rehabilitating the families. Now since the Ganesha Chathurthi is fast approaching, people are preparing for the festival”.
MCC Commissioner Mohammed Nazir said, “On August 8, the accumulated garbage in the dump yard slipped and moved into our property because of heavy rains and landslide. From the past 50 years garbage is being dumped in the dumping yard. Ten years ago soil capping was done and the waste is dumped here. The waste that comes here is from the entire corporation, Bantwal, Ullal and other places”.
Speaking to the mediapersons Siddaramaiah said, “The MCC has dumped the waste here, but they did not take any measures. They did not have the idea that the waste would slip and move to the nearby property. If they had constructed a retaining wall this situation would have been avoided. Contaminated water should be blocked from flowing to the dams. Nearly 27 families have shifted to the housing board building. They need to build houses. First, we need to clear the waste and acquire the land to be used as a dumping yard. Those who have lost their land and houses should be immediately compensated by the government as they don’t have a house to stay in. Farmers should also be given compensation. Those who are constructing houses should be given house rent of Rs 10,000 per month until they complete the construction of their house.”
When asked about the harassment by Enforcement Directorate to D K Shivakumar, Siddarmaiah said, “DKS will fight legally. The BJP is harassing D K Shivakumar, it is politically motivated. If D K Shivakumar has committed any crime let they punish him but unnecessarily harassing him is not fair”.
Former ministers Ramanath Rai and U T Khader, AICC Secretary Vishnunath, MLC Ivan D’Souza, former MLA Moideen Bava, District Youth Congress President Mithun Rai, Kavitha Sanil, Sashidhar Hegde and others were also present.
Pics by Astel Pereira, Team Mangalorean