KUNDAPUR : The construction of a Yatri Nivas building by the Divine Park Trust at Chempi near Saligrama, has kicked off a controversy more so because Yatri Nivas though is a government project, in this particular case, was coming up in the private land owned by the Divine Park, however utilising the government grant of Rs 2 crore for the purpose.
The complaint of the villagers of Saligrama is that the Divine Park has hijacked the government’s ambitious project of constructing Yatri Nivas in all taluk centres in order to boost tourism in the respective regions.
However, the construction works have been suspended halfway through after locals objected to the construction of a pit for disposal of the Yatri Nivas wastes and also opposed the construction of Yatri Nivas in a residential, that too a private area.
Reports also indicate that the Divine Park authorities are moving heaven and earth to appease the politicians to okay the project,but of no avail.
If the Saligrama panchayat has not permitted the construction, even the site conversion has not been done. There is also an allegation that the panchayat president and the chief officer had secretly permitted the Divine Park construction without taking the other members into confidence. One cannot outrightly conclude that the allegation is baseless more so because the TP chief is an employee of the Divine Park.
It is still a secret as to why the tourism department decided to construct the Yatri Nivas in a private land when there were enough government land in Saligrama. The private land behind Divine Park where the Yatri Nivas is coming up has 32 cents owned by one Shambhavi Ramachandrapura, while the remaining 2 cents is owner by the Divine Park. This particular land had been chosen even when there was a seven acre government land nearly and 1.38 acre land near the Pravasi Mandir.
Moreover, the building is coming up in clear violation of construction bye-laws and fire safety regulations.
With locals bringing the matter to the notice of the opposition leader, the opposition leader Siddaramaiah is all likely to take up this issue in the next session, say the locals who are even planning to complain to the Lokayukta.

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