Efforts on to identify, rehabilitate Kogilu dwellers under housing scheme: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Wednesday said a detailed exercise is underway to identify and rehabilitate eligible beneficiaries under the 'One Lakh Multi-storey Bengaluru Housing Scheme', even as scrutiny of applications from 'Kogilu Bande' has revealed large-scale ineligibility due to non-compliance of guidelines.
The authorities evicted the dwellers in Kogilu Cross living in slums during winter, saying that they occupied the government land, meant for Bengaluru's solid waste management, illegally.
The action drew flak, especially from the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, prompting the Karnataka government to announce alternative arrangements.
On Wednesday, the minister said the initiative is part of efforts to provide housing to the urban poor through a structured and transparent process overseen by the City Shelter Committee.
"A total of 1,187 one-bedroom flats are being constructed, 594 flats under the public quota and 593 flats under the local quota," he said, outlining the scale of the housing project coming up at Byappanahalli village in Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency, which the revenue minister represents in the Assembly.
A total of 189 beneficiaries have already been selected in a City Shelter Committee meeting, he said, indicating that allotment is being carried out in phases based on eligibility criteria.
Substantiating the scale of the exercise, the minister said, "Following the clearance of unauthorised houses in Kogilu Bande, a survey was conducted, and a list of 165 homeless individuals has been submitted."
He said the survey, carried out jointly by the Revenue Department and the Greater Bengaluru Authority, was aimed at ensuring that displaced and genuinely homeless families are considered for rehabilitation under the housing scheme.
Of the 165 identified individuals, only 61 families were found eligible as per the scheme guidelines.
The minister noted that a significant number of applications were rejected or kept pending due to various reasons.
He further pointed out discrepancies such as duplicate applications, ownership of houses within the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area, and incomplete documentation.
In several cases, applicants were found to be outside the jurisdiction or lacked valid address proof.
The minister said some applicants were also from outside the state, making them ineligible under the scheme norms.
He assured that pending cases would be reviewed once applicants submit the required documents.
"The pending cases will be reviewed in the next Ashraya Committee meeting upon resubmission of the required documents," he said.
Emphasising the need for strict adherence to guidelines, Gowda said the government is committed to ensuring that only genuine beneficiaries receive housing under the scheme, while preventing misuse of public resources.
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IRGC warns of retaliation after energy sites hit; Gulf nations issue Emergency Alerts
Tehran/Riyadh/Doha: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a strong warning after attacks on its energy infrastructure, saying it will retaliate against those responsible.
A spokesperson for the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters said “the fuel, energy and gas infrastructures” of countries behind the attacks “will be burned and turned to ashes at the earliest opportunity”.
“This is a firm and clear warning to the criminals who attacked part of Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructures in the south of the country,” the statement, carried by Iran’s Mehr news agency, said.
“We declare to the cowardly and aggressive army of the criminal America and the barbaric and child-killing Zionist regime that you will have to throw your soldiers into the water and throw your dignity into the wind,” it added.
The warning comes as Gulf countries step up emergency measures amid fears of further escalation.
Saudi Arabia’s National Early Warning Platform for Emergency Cases issued alerts warning of danger in the Riyadh and al-Kharj governorates. Residents were cautioned about a possible aerial threat.
In Qatar, reports indicate that Ras Laffan, the world’s largest LNG production facility, is being evacuated. The move follows Iran’s warning that it may target energy infrastructure in Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Ras Laffan was previously attacked on March 2 in the early phase of the conflict, after which QatarEnergy had temporarily paused production.
Authorities have reportedly asked workers and residents in specific areas to evacuate as a precaution.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged of two loud explosions in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh. Residents there have received alerts warning of a possible aerial attack.
The situation across the Gulf region remains tense as military threats and countermeasures continue to escalate.
