Villagers file petition in High Court to get funds from govt. for long pending development works

Residents of Kombaru village in Dakshina Kannada finally secure ₹1.31 crore for bridge and road construction after nearly three decades.

Nearly three decades into the demand, residents of Kombaru village in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada compelled the State government to sanction ₹1.31 crore after they filed the writ petition seeking directions to the government for building of a bridge over a stream and also construct a permanent connecting road.

The government sanctioned ₹50 lakh for the construction of the bridge across the Katte stream in Birmeergundi. It has sanctioned ₹81.5 lakh for the construction of the connected Manibanda-Ukkunda-Kotegudde-Katte road that passes through a government higher primary school. Tenders have been floated for the work.

The 48-year-old farmer, Gunavantha Katte, one of the two persons who filed the writ petition, told The Hindu he and other residents of the area have been demanding construction of the bridge and development of the road, which is a designated panchayat road, since 1994.

“During the monsoon, our area turns into an island. It is difficult for residents to cross the foot overbridge, across the Katte stream,” Mr. Gunavantha said. During this season, residents walk nearly a kilometre through an area filled with leeches and reach the mainland. “Because of this reason, doctors do not come to our area and we have to carry ill patients to the nearest healthcare facility,” he said. Two years ago, he failed to take his ill father on time and he died, the farmer recalled .

A year ago, Mr. Gunavantha and his brother Manjunath Katte saw the way residents of Mettuttaru, who faced a similar situation, succeeded in getting ₹1 crore for the construction of a bridge and road. Mettuttaru residents filed three writ petitions before High Court and a special leave petition in the Supreme Court.

Soon after, the two brothers contacted advocate Katte N. Praveen Kumar, also a native of the village, who fought the case of Mettuttaru residents. A writ petition was filed on January 27, 2024, naming Principal Secretary Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, and Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer as respondents. During the hearing on the petition before Judge S. Sunil Dutt Yadav on January 31, the Additional Government Advocate assured of action. The Judge overruled office objections and posted the case for preliminary hearing on February 9.

Meanwhile, estimates of the two works were prepared by the Dakshina Kannada district administration and submitted to the Principal Secretary, RDPR. Then the government sanctioned ₹1.31 crore for the bridge and the road.