From delay in releasing compensation for land acquisition to vacating unauthorised shops at fisheries harbour, several matters raised at Janata Darshan

366 petitions submitted to the Karnataka government at the Janata Darshan in Mangaluru. The government had opened 14 counters for over 60 departments in addition to the helpdesks at the venue.

V. Divakar, 71, who is an ex-serviceman living at Anvita Apartment, Kankanady Old Road, in Mangaluru, petitioned Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister in charge of Daskhina Kannada, on Monday that he has been waiting for over six years to get compensation for sparing his land for the Thumbe vented dam project.

At the Janata Darshan, presided over by the Minister, at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall, Mr. Divakar said that the government acquired his land in Survey No. 156/1B1 at Bantwal Mooda village for the project.

Mr. Divakar, who had retired from the Air Force, mentioned in the petition that he took part in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war with Pakistan. He said that he has been running around many government offices to get compensation and had met five successive Deputy Commissioners in this regard.

The petitioner wrote that he had approached the government offices “more than 100 times” to get justice. He had to run around the offices of the tahsildar and the Assistant Director Land Records both at Bantwal, the office of the Assistant Commissioner, Mangalore Sub-Division in Mangaluru, the Mangaluru City Corporation’s Commissioner’s office, the office of the Deputy Director of Land Records, and the office of Deputy Commissioner in Mangaluru. The matter even went before Karnataka Lokayutka and the High Court.

In its petition, the Dakshina Kannada District Kadaba Taluk Abhivruddi Horata Samithi, represented by convener Syeed Meera Saheb, drew the attention of the Minister on 18 matters. It included Kadaba taluk headquarters not having the offices of the sub-registrar, the block education officer, police inspector, forest officer, fire officer, social welfare officer, and other taluk offices of the government departments. It said that Kadaba lacked a bus stand and a government first grade college.

The Mangalore Trawl Boat Fishermen Association, represented by president Chetan Bengre, said that there is a need to fix CCTV cameras on the fisheries jetty and unauthorised shops at the fisheries harbour should be vacated. It demanded widening of the road in front of the office of Joint Director of Fisheries.

These were among the 366 petitions submitted to the government at the darshan. The government had opened 14 counters for over 60 departments in addition to the helpdesks at the venue. Heavy rush was seen the counter pertaining to the Revenue Department.