Ashraya Colony residents stage protest

HUBBALLI

Residents of Ashraya Colony in Huballi staged a protest in front of the municipal corporation office in Dharwad on Wednesday saying that the houses allotted to Ashraya Scheme beneficiaries are being taken away from them.

Led by Dharwad Zilla Ashraya Mane Badavanegala Vividha Sangha Samsthegala Okkuta president Pramanath Chikkatumbal and other office-bearers, the residents staged their protest when the monthly council meeting of the corporation was under way.

The protestors said that the beneficiaries of the Ashraya Scheme are yet to get houses allotted to them registered in their names because of the politics being played by Member of Legislative Assembly Arvind Bellad. They said that some of them have lost their Ashraya houses because of the airport expansion and they are yet to be allotted new Ashraya houses.

Addressing the protestors, Mr. Chikkatumbal said that Mr. Arvind Bellad is behind the act of snatching away the houses allotted to the original beneficiaries and instead, allotting them to people of his choice. He even said that the houses being taken away from original beneficiaries are being sold to others for political reasons.

The protestors submitted a memorandum addressed to Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor and Municipal Commissioner and urged them to prevent the injustice immediately and take steps to allow registration of houses in the names of original beneficiaries.

In the memorandum, the residents have threatened to intensify the agitation if their demand is not met within a fortnight.