Demand for sites, bridges, foot-bridges, electricity, roads and other basic facilities dominated the mass contact programme organised by the district administration and the district police at the naxal-affected village of Mala-Mallar in Udupi district on Tuesday. Vittaldas, a resident of the village, said the residential sites for the homeless had not been identified for many years. The construction of a bridge and a community hall in the village had been pending for a long time. The Nada Kacheri at Ajekar lacked even basic facilities. It would be better if the office was shifted to Karkala, he said. Deputy Commissioner M.T. Reju said the government would purchase private land and provide it to the beneficiaries as being done in other parts of the district. The government will bear 90 per cent of construction expenses while the beneficiaries should raise the remaining amount, he said. Karkala tahsildar Jagannath said the construction of the bridge and community hall would be looked into.
Umanath Ranade said that there was no electricity connection in 8-km radius of Bejali village. An asphalted road was needed to Mala Chouki as there were 150 houses in the area. Two footbridges were required in the area. Mr. Reju said that a special survey to identify various types of land in the villages at Ajekar Hobli would be undertaken soon.
