Chikkamagaluru: In a big relief to the farmers and residents of the district, the govt has decided to temporarily withhold the circular issued on Aug 13 on excluding properties located on govt and forest land from property tax assessment and from the purview of the e-Swathu 2.0 system.Sringeri MLA T D Rajegowda convinced the rural development and panchayat raj minister Eshwar Khandre during his recent visit to the district to withhold the circular.Following the issuance of the notification, a large number of people had hit the streets under the banner of Sringeri Kshethra Raitha Okkuta, and launched an indefinite hunger strike.Rajegowda said the guideline that had led to problems has been put on hold. Now, the protesters have called off the stir.Clarifying rumours, Rajegowda said reports that illegally constructed buildings will not be charged tax and that govt will evict farmers and reject applications under Revenue Form 50, 53, 57, 94-C, 94-CC are false.Rajegowda said some title deeds issued earlier without following rules by the previous govt had been cancelled. “In our tenure, title deeds are being given legally. The task force committee in the constituency was abolished in 2016-17. Had the then BJP MLA ensured it was not abolished, coordination between forest and revenue departments would have made it easier to issue title deeds,” he said.The MLA added that the task force committee has now been reconstituted, and 45% of the joint survey of forest and revenue land has been completed. “The survey will be completed in six months and title deeds will be issued legally,” he said.The MLA urged the protesters not to create panic and to inform people of facts. “If the govt takes any step that troubles people of the constituency regarding the Kasturirangan report, I’m ready to resign. Will anyone resign for guidelines issued by departments?”He said he remains committed to resigning if the Kasturirangan report is implemented against people’s interests.
