Lack of title deeds for their houses is one of the many problems that the people of Kudukorigudda, a colony of Scheduled Castes, face as it prevents them from availing themselves of the benefits provided by the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC).
Forty families have been living for 80 years in the colony which is a “non-notified slum” as per MCC records. The congested colony is off the road that connects Pumpwell Circle with Karavali Circle.
A resident of the colony said that Kankanady Friends Circle, a local club, had written to the city corporation in March 2009, requesting it to handover title deeds to the families which had houses there. Joint Commissioner of the corporation M. Vijayakumari Shenoy said she was not aware of such a request from the people of Kudukorigudda. Land could be acquired provided funds were available. In a similar case, a proposal had been sent to acquire land for those living in a slum at Pandeshwar, she added.
A storm water drain passing through the colony is clogged. People of the colony said that the stinking drain was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, causing malaria and other health problems for them. Jadagish (42) suffered from malaria for 10 days after visiting his relatives' house in the colony recently. Lakshmi (60), whose house is five metres away from the drain, said her grandson always suffered from some ailment. “He never seems to get well.”
A member of Kankanady Friends Circle said he complained to the corporation a month ago, but no action had been taken to clean the drain.
Corporation's Environment Engineer Manjunath Shetty said the drain would be cleaned by the Engineering Department of the MCC during the annual pre-monsoon desilting drive.
Much of the colony is on undulating land, where pathways have not been laid properly. Elderly persons in the colony find it difficult to walk on the uneven paths which are poorly lit.
