The Hindu 12.08.2013
Remove illegal structures from Ashraya colonies: Minister
Qamar-ul Islam, Minister for Municipalities and Local
Bodies and Wakf, has directed Deputy Commissioner N.S. Prasanna Kumar
and the City Corporation Commissioner S. Kattimani to demolish
unauthorised structures in S.M. Krishna Ashraya Colony and Shaikh Roza
Ashraya Colony.
He was speaking on Sunday at a review
meeting he chaired to discuss the progress made in the implementation
of several developmental projects in Gulbarga.
Mr.
Islam said all illegal structures, including multi-storeyed buildings
and commercial completes that have come up in the two colonies should be
removed, and Ashraya houses be built there for the benefit of the
deserving poor. He said this in response to the observation that Mr.
Prasanna Kumar made with regard to illegal structures that have come up
in Ashraya colonies. Corporation officials, including the Commissioner,
told the Minister that a private hospital and a school building have
come up in S.M. Krishna Ashraya Colony in place of Ashraya houses that
the government had constructed. There were also several instances of the
beneficiaries who had been allotted the houses had either illegally
sold the houses or let them out on rent.
Mr. Prasanna
Kumar held the city corporation officials responsible for the situation
that has arisen in the Ashraya colonies. People with vested interests
were demolishing houses built under the Ashraya scheme, and in its place
building structures unauthorisedly. He said that the city corporation
officials should take immediate measures to evict illegal occupants in
the Ashraya houses in the S.M. Krishna Ashraya Colony and Sheikh Roza
Ashraya Colony and hand over the same to the original beneficiaries.
And, it should also be ensured that the original beneficiaries stayed in
the allotted Ashraya houses and that they did not sell them away to
some one else or rented it out for someone. Referring to the
non-collection of the property taxes from owners of commercial buildings
and the education societies, Mr. Qamar-ul Islam said that the
corporation officials should initiate stringent measures immediately to
collect all the dues from the educational institutions and other
commercial buildings. The corporation should also collect the fees dues
for displaying advertisement hoardings. Those who put up illegal
hoardings should be penalised, he added.
