Date:04/02/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/04/stories/2004020402260300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

Three buses damaged in stone throwing

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR, FEB. 3. Three buses of the North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation were damaged in stone throwing after police foiled an attempt by a large number of people to lay siege to the tahsildar's office seeking speedy implementation of a drinking water project at Aurad on Tuesday.

They were participating in a rally to mark the 30 days of agitation for the drinking water project. Merchants, students, women, and government employees also participated in the rally and observed a bandh.

They staged a dharna in front of the tahsildar's office demanding that the Deputy Commissioner, T.K. Anil Kumar, come there and promise them that work on the project would commence soon.

They relented when Mr. Kumar promised that the groundbreaking ceremony for the project would be held on February 10.

Members of the residents' agitation committee led by its president, Shivaraj Raga, agreed to pay part of the money to be paid to a person for his land to be acquired for the project.

Prabhu Gowda and Ramanna Wodeyar, President and Vice-President of the Aurad Town Panchayat, and others launched the agitation on January 3. Members of the committee and other organisations joined them later.

The Government approved the Rs. 2.58-crore project on August 3, 2003. However, the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board did not begin work on the project even after five months though it had promised to complete it in a year. Meanwhile, Basavarajappa Maktedar refused to part with 1.5 acres of land for the project stating that the compensation offered to him was low.

He sought Rs. one lakh for an acre of land. This problem was solved on Tuesday with the intervention of the Deputy Commissioner. Residents and members of the committee and other organisations agreed to pay part of the money to be given to Mr. Maktedar.