Madikeri, August 23: Urban Development and Housing Minister UT Khader said that the district administration has identified around 42 acres of land in Madikeri and Somawarpete to rehabilitate the affected people in the natural disaster in the district.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, he said that the government would construct the houses using modern technology on war footing. Total 42 acres of land was identified at K Nidugane, 1st Monnangeri and Karnangeri in Madikeri taluk, and Takeri village in Somawarpete taluk. Details were being sought from each gram panchayat on available land. In coming days, the sites would be identified and houses would be constructed for the affected people. In order to identify the available land for this purpose, the government has appointed MK Jagadeesh as special additional deputy commissioner, he said.

“Magic cannot be done overnight. But the government has decided to construct the houses and develop the sites for the distressed people in shortest possible time. In order to avoid such natural disasters in future, a policy would be implemented against constructing house on hills. The government has decided to enact the Building Construction Act”, he said.

It is a testing time for the state government to handle the situation in Kodagu. But the government was committed to execute the decision. The government was for the people and it would not hesitate to spend whatever the amount it required, he added.

Deputy Commissioner Srividya and State Revenue department secretary Anbudas were present.



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Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.

Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.

Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.

An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.

The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.

A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.

Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."

"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.

"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.

A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.