HASSAN: The people of Dyapalapura village in Kudurgundi village of Hassan taluk, who lost their houses in the October 12, 2004 incident are elated now, as they will be given new houses in the next two months. According to Chief Executive Officer, Hassan Zilla Panchayat, F.R. Jamaadar, the work on the houses is nearing completion, and they would be handed over to the victims latest by March.

Following the murder of Congress leader and member of Hassan City Municipal Council B.G. Girija Shankar and his friend Jayaprakash, around 2,000 people set fire to houses and other property at Dyapalapura.

As most people had fled the village that night fearing an attack, there were no casualties. The mob also attacked the neighbouring village of Nittor. A dispute over a minor issue between the people of Dyapalapura and those of adjacent Haruvanahalli led to the incidents.

The police later confirmed that the feud between two sub-castes of the Vokkaliga community, Mullu and Dasa Vokkaliga, was the reason for violence.

Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh had said that the Government was prepared to order a judicial probe into the incident. But the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who visited the village, said that the local police were competent to handle the investigation.

This had created unhappiness among Congress leaders, particularly the Gandsi MLA, B. Shivaram, who is now Minister for Information.

Mr. Deve Gowda assured the victims that new houses would be built for them.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Basavaraj Horatti, who visited Dyapalapura recently assured the villagers, after reviewing the progress of work, that the houses would be distributed to them in the next two months. Mr. Horatti held a meeting with the Hassan district in-charge Minister H.D. Revanna in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, Mr. Jamaadar said the work on 89 houses in the village was fast progressing, and the completion was being delayed because of change in plan. Instead of tiled roofs for cattle sheds, it had now been decided to go in for concrete roof. The original estimated cost of the project was Rs. 2.04 crores, but it had been revised at Rs. 2.83 crores.

Of this, the contribution of the State Government was Rs. 1.50 crore.

The zilla panchayat has spent Rs. 24 lakhs on dismantling old houses, constructing culverts, drainage, layout forming and building roads.

Some funds was needed to complete the project, and the Government had promised to release Rs. 1.33 crore soon, he said.

The cost of `A' type houses, which was Rs. 2.25 lakhs later escalated to Rs. 2.86 lakhs. The cost of `B' type of houses, which was Rs. 1.75 lakh has increased to Rs. 2.64 lakhs.

Of the 89 houses, work on 52 had been completed.

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