Elected Leaders Neglecting ‘ Lobo Compound Dandekeri Area’ near Yeyyadi in the City, the Locals to Boycott Upcoming Elections
Mangaluru: Around fifty families reside in the ‘LOBO COMPOUND DANDEKERI’ area Yeyyadi in the City, which falls under the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) limits. For nearly three decades the residents have been urging the concerned elected leaders and MCC authorities to provide them with an approachable road and other facilities, but all their grievances have been turned down by the concerned people. The residents have demanded a road, storm-water drain, underground drainage and uninterrupted water supply to the area.
Frustrated with the attitude shown towards them by the elected representatives, the residents of that area have hung up a BANNER (in Kannada) translated in English with the title, ‘A remote village inside the smart city,’ reads, “Helpless residents of Dandekeri in Yeyyadi Lobo Compound have decided to boycott polls. We are deprived of all basic facilities. People’s representatives have only given us false assurances, and have been ignoring our demands.”
Speaking to the media, Social activist and a resident of the area, Shiva Shankar, said, “Since Lobo Compound Yeyyadi Dandakeri comes under the ward represented by the present MCC mayor Jayanand Anchan, at least now we expected the MCC to consider our long pending demands. But all in vain. Our area neither has underground drainage, nor stormwater drains. The drinking water supply is also irregular, and the main road to the residential area is less than 4ft wide. More than 50 families face difficulties because of the lack of basic facilities, especially the road. A 10ft wide road has been reduced to 4ft now. At one stretch, the width of the path is just 2ft, creating inconveniences. Months before the assembly election in Karnataka, people of this residential area have warned the government of boycotting the polls”.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru City South MLA Vedavyas Kamath said, “We are ready to provide a better road and other facilities. I have met the residents of Dandakeri twice and held detailed discussions with them. Unfortunately, many of the residents are not willing to give a piece of their land for road widening, and if they did I would have arranged funds and done the needful. I have even informed quite a few residents to convince property owners who are reluctant to give the portion of their land. There is no dearth of funds, and we are ready to oblige their demands seriously”.
In regards to this issue, MCC commissioner Akshy Sridhar said, “I will look into various issues residents are facing. The estimates have already been sanctioned under the premium floor area ratio (FAR). Acquisition of land is yet to happen, as the response from locals is yet to fall through. We have negotiated with them a few times already, and we are hoping for the best, in order to oblige their pending demands”.
Ramesh, a resident, said, “Congress rule changed, then came BJP, but no matter which party comes to power, we have faced the same problems for the last thirty years. With no proper road, it is hard to commute. Especially during monsoons, it is treacherous. Also with no street lights, there have been robberies, including a chain-snatching incident. To transport a patient to the hospital is hard, we have to use a wheelchair to reach the main road for vehicles. Even other facilities are lacking, putting our lives in hardship. Fed up with the negligence shown by our elected leaders we have decided to boycott the forthcoming elections, and if needed, we may go on a hunger strike if our demands are not met”.
