DYFI Leads Protest in Mangaluru Demanding Land Rights for Tannirbhavi Shore Residents
The DYFI Mangaluru City Committee has intensified its call for the government to provide official title deeds and secure permanent land rights for impoverished families residing along the Tannirbhavi shoreline. This demand comes amid growing tensions over the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board's recent actions to erect barriers around the residential area adjacent to the sea.
Massive Protest Condemns KIADB's Fencing Initiative
On Tuesday, a significant demonstration was organized in front of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board office located in Baikampady. The protest was jointly spearheaded by the DYFI Mangaluru City Committee, the Tannirbhavi Action Committee, and the Dalit Rights Coordination Committee Tannirbhavi. Participants vehemently condemned KIADB officials for installing barriers that effectively enclose the Tannirbhavi residential zone and its coastal access points.
BK Imthiyaz, the DYFI Dakshina Kannada district president, articulated the core grievance. He stated that instead of facilitating land ownership for the poor communities who have inhabited government land between the Tannirbhavi sea and riverbanks for decades, KIADB is aggressively fencing the area. Imthiyaz alleged this is a strategic move to eventually transfer the land to influential and powerful entities.
Allegations of Unconstitutional Eviction Tactics
"This maneuver is widely perceived as a deliberate ploy to forcibly evict the underprivileged, which is fundamentally unconstitutional," Imthiyaz asserted. He emphasized that the newly erected barriers are severely obstructing the livelihoods of local residents who depend on the sea for their daily sustenance and economic activities. The district president called upon the district administration to immediately dismantle the fences and halt any further encroachment on the community's living space.
Imthiyaz issued a stern warning, indicating that the protest movement would escalate significantly if the harassment and marginalization of the poor inhabitants persist. He also raised critical questions about the allocation of funds, noting the irony in KIADB securing financial approval for fencing the colony while simultaneously claiming a lack of resources to repair the severely damaged, pothole-ridden roads within the industrial area itself.
Criticism of Political Apathy and Election-Time Promises
Santosh Bajal, the DYFI district secretary, launched a sharp critique against the apparent lack of political will among local elected representatives. He pointed out that despite numerous assurances over the years, residents of Tannirbhavi have yet to receive the promised title deeds for their homes. Bajal lamented that these communities are often only remembered and courted during election cycles, with their fundamental rights being neglected thereafter.
The protest also featured addresses from other prominent figures, including former corporator Dayanand Shetty, Action Committee secretary Yogesh Amin, and DYFI city secretary Tayyub Bengre. Their speeches reinforced the collective demand for justice and permanent housing security for the shore-dwelling families.
Formal Memorandum Submitted to Authorities
Concluding the demonstration, the organizing committees submitted a detailed memorandum to a senior KIADB officer. The document formally urges the authorities to cease all fencing work immediately and to initiate a transparent process for granting land rights to the long-standing residents of Tannirbhavi. The protest underscores a critical urban development and social justice issue in Mangaluru, highlighting the ongoing struggle between industrial expansion and the rights of vulnerable coastal communities.
