Mysore, July 21 (KCU&MTY)- Over 300 members of the City Slum-Dwellers' Association took out a mammoth protest rally in city today, condemning the inordinate delay in constructing the houses under JNNURM to rehabilitate them.

The rally originated from Town Hall premises and passed through K.R. Circle and Devaraj Urs Road, before culminating at the Deputy Commissioner's office where a memorandum was submitted.

The protestors alleged that the four-storeyed buildings under construction to rehabilitate them were supposed to be completed within nine months, but two years had elapsed with no sign of completion.

"The quality of construction too is very poor, lacking basic facilities like water and electricity. The second phase of construction has not yet begun in Maregow-danahalli and near Yadavagiri," the protestors said and urged that a plot belonging to Poura-karmikas in Ghousianagar adjoining the slum in Jyotinagar, should also be utilised to construct the rehabilitation houses.

The slum-dwellers sought title deeds for houses allotted to them from the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board.

Alleging that the houses allotted to them from the Slum Clearance Board were built with loans taken from HUDCO at a high interest rate compared to that of nationalised banks thus burdening the allottees, they questioned the basic policies of the Board.

To add a bit of punch to the rally, the protestors marched beating Thamate and other percussion instruments.

Former Mayor Narayan, Association President Yatiraj, Working President M.S. Kannan, Dhwani Mahila Okkuta President Nalini and others took part in the procession.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore