DC INSPECTS ENCROACHMENTS;

Deputy Commissioner yesterday inspected areas at Monnageri village near Madikeri and inspected government lands.

DC Subodh Yadav accompanied with MLA K.G.Bopaiah went for inspection as there was complaint of government lands being encroached. DC told scribes that the inspecting team found several new fences as a sign of encroachment and officials would be directed to verify records and initiate action. He also said that the complaint of a resort management encroaching land was also received and notices would be issued to all illegal encroachments.

K.G.Bopaiah said that though government owns land all around Madikeri, most of it is encroached. This plays as a hurdle for development, he opined.

TP president Talur Kishore Kumar, Commissioner of CMC, Raya, ZP vice president B.C.Neelamma and others were present during the inspection.

COMPLAINT AGAINST FOREST DEPARTMENT;

Villagers of Nittur in South Kodagu have lodged a complaint with the forest minister against the department here to have failed curb elephant menace.

The villagers alleged in their complaint that elephant herds are rampaging their estates causing heavy loss and threatening their lives. They said that the herd entered the estate of Chimmanamada T.Medappa recently and attacked sprinkler unit and plantation. Alluminium pipes and crop is damaged in the act.

Repeated complaints to chase the elephants away fell on deaf ears, the villagers said. They alleged that the solar fence erected to avoid entry of elephants into the estate is not functioning and trenches have caved in allowing free access to the elephants, they said.