News Brief
Karnataka: Mysuru Urban Development Authority's Callous Indifference On Allotting Plot To Pulwama Martyr's Widow Sparks Outrage
MUDA (Representative Image)
Amid ongoing controversy over the allocation of around 4,500 plots under a contentious 50:50 scheme in 23 villages, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) is now facing criticism for denying a plot to the widow of a CRPF soldier martyred in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The martyr's widow was given a note by MUDA officials indicating that her case would be considered in the next allotment round, a move that has sparked widespread outrage.
The "next allotment round" has yet to occur, raising serious concerns about the treatment being meted out to the martyr's widow.
H Guru, a soldier of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 82 Battalion, was martyred on 14 February 2019, in an IED blast set by terrorists in Lethpur, Pulwama, Kashmir.
In recognition of his sacrifice, the Kendriya Sainik Board, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare and Rehabilitation, Bengaluru, recommended a free site for his wife, S Kalavathi, a resident of Maddur Taluk in Mandya, to build a home.
Kalavathi, originally from a village near Kanakapura, applied for a MUDA site as directed, following the Board’s recommendation.
Despite her repeated visits and meetings with MUDA officials, her request was consistently ignored.
She wrote to the MUDA Commissioner on 11 October 2021, and again on 6 June 2022, attaching all necessary documents and urging for prompt resolution.
With no response, she sent another letter on 29 June 2022, agains seeking the site.
By neglecting her request, MUDA officials reportedly disregarded a Government order from 2000, mandating that Urban Development Authorities across the state allocate free sites to the dependents of soldiers and officers who sacrifice their lives for the nation.
A similar directive was issued by the Central Government in 1971.
Following Kalavathi’s appeal, Brigadier (Retd) Ravi Muniswamy, Director of the Kendriya Sainik Board, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare and Rehabilitation, Bengaluru, sent a letter to the MUDA Commissioner on 29 January 2020, urging the official to honour her request for a free site, given her eligibility.
The director also requested a response detailing the action taken. Despite this official correspondence, Kalavathi’s request remained unresolved.
Following numerous follow-ups, on 13 July 2022, the Zone 4 Special Tahsildar sent a letter to S Kalavathi, requesting a full set of documents from her.
The documents included Guru’s pension records, her pension eligibility, service record, death certificate, details of surviving family members, residential proof, an affidavit confirming she does not own any other site, identity documents, and Aadhaar Card.
Kalavathi submitted all the required documents, and on 31 October 2022, the MUDA Zone 4 Special Tahsildar noted in the file that Kalavathi’s application for a free site would be prioritised in the next site allocation.
However, that next site allocation never took place.
"My husband served the CRPF for eight years and I lost him just 10 months after our marriage. I have no children. Despite multiple visits to the MUDA Office and several meetings with the Commissioner, my request has not been addressed. If a soldier who sacrificed his life for the nation is treated so unjustly, what value is placed on his sacrifice? MUDA’s handling of this genuine situation is deeply unfair" Kalavathi was quoted as saying in a Star of Mysore report.
