Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Pumpwell flyover has become a butt of jokes as well as a matter of serious discussion in the political and social circles of the district of Dakshina Kannada as well as the state of Karnataka due to the slowness of its work.

Recently Congress taunted BJP by holding a mock inauguration of the flyover under construction on New Year's Day. Fed up by the continuous criticism, BJP has taken up social media war on Congress by raking up the 'Ombathukere Ashraya Mane' of Congress which began 18 years ago.

The Ashraya Mane scheme and Mangaluru MLA U T Khader are being trolled extensively by BJP on social media. Messages are pouring on various social media sites asking Ivan D'Souza to inaugurate the Ashray Mane homes, the scheme which Congress promised to people 18 years ago. In the midst of this, even the Ullal underground drainage scheme which is getting rusted since eight years has also come up for discussion.

Asharaya Mane scheme was implemented in 1999 when U T Fareed, father of MLA U T Khader was the MLA of Ullal at the Ombathukere Village of Ullal. Then 10 acres of land was purchases for Rs 90 lac and work started in 1999. In 2001, 390 homes were built for the poor. Some beneficiaries even paid Rs 5,000 and made booking of those houses. However, due to the negligence of the people representatives, the beneficiaries did not get the promised houses. From 2001 till date, those houses are dilapidated and not occupied.

Though U T Khader is the MLA of this area since 2007, he also could not make much inroad with regards to this project. So this area of 10 acres with 390 houses has literally become not fit for use by the public as thick forest has grown over them.