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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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
