The Hindu : Karnataka News : Work is moving at a snail's pace in Koppal

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Thursday, Jun 23, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Work is moving at a snail's pace in Koppal

D.K. Kishan Rao

Koppal: The rehabilitation in the flood-hit villages of Koppal district is moving at a snail's pace.

The Government had decided to shift 17 villages in three taluks — seven villages in Koppal taluk, six in Gangavathi taluk and four in Kustagi taluk — by constructing 2,894 houses under the Aasare scheme. But two years after the deluge, more than 50 per cent of those affected are yet to be rehabilitated.

The Government, with the help of donors, had taken up the construction of 2,706 houses last year. Apart from the allotment of construction of about 1,200 houses to the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd. (KRIDL) in eight villages in all three taluks in the district, the Wipro had taken up work on 450 houses in Naregal village in Koppal taluk, the JSW Steel on 449 houses in Kakkargol, Salignur, Kardona, Kuntoji and Nandihalli in Gangavathi taluk, the GMR Industries on 85 houses in Kuntoji in Koppal taluk and Bannatti in Kustagi taluk, the Bharooka Power Corporation Ltd. on 113 houses in Kolur in Koppal taluk and the Kalyani Steels on 395 houses in Hiresindhogi in Koppal taluk.

But only 1,279 houses have been completed, of which 1,179 have been allotted to the beneficiaries in ten villages. The progress of work on 1,427 houses in another seven villages in the district is in different stages of construction.

However, absolutely no work has commenced on 188 houses. Sources said the demand for higher compensation by the village residents on the sites identified in the respective villages has affected the land acquisition process. Official sources said though the Government had not released any grants or taken up the construction work, it extended all cooperation to the donors to speed up construction. The construction of houses taken up by the donors was progressing well. But some donors had released funds without involving themselves in construction. In such cases, the Government had entrusted the work to the KRIDL.

‘KRIDL at fault'

It was the KRIDL that had failed to achieve the anticipated progress, said sources. The district administration recently submitted a report to the Government seeking a change in the agency (KRIDL) for speedy completion of all pending houses in the district.

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