The people in power violate rules to favour the influential, but not the poor, alleged writer and environmentalist Kalkuli Vittal Heggade. He was speaking at the first Malnad convention - Malenadu Sammelana - organized by Karnataka Janashakti in Sringeri on Sunday.
Recently, the Chikkamagaluru administration constructed a helipad as many dignitaries were scheduled to attend a religious event at Hariharapura in Koppa taluk. Despite objections from the Forest Department, the administration constructed the helipad. “It is fine, the helipad was necessary for the influential. Why don’t you follow the same when it comes to allotting sites for the poor or the land for the landless?” he questioned.
Taking a dig at Revenue Minister R. Ashok’s recent announcement to help rich coffee planters, who have encroached upon a large extent of land, Mr. Heggade said the Minister was once again in favour of helping the rich, not the poor. For decades, thousands of people had been waiting for the land to build homes or cultivate it. Their applications had been pending, citing various objections. “How can the government allow the planters to get the land they encroached over the years? The Minister addresses a convention of rich planters and makes assurances, but in the case of poor, nobody cares,” he said.
