The land where a century-old government higher primary school existed at Tumari in Sagar taluk is all set to go to the hands of a private individual, leaving the local residents agitated.
A decision of the Revenue Department to issue a khata of the land in the name of the person led to this development.
The government school, which got its building in 1918, has been imparting education for generations. The villagers had formed a committee two years ago to hold a programme to celebrate its centenary. However, they could not go ahead due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Before they could hold the function, the khata has been issued in the name of M.L. Subraya, a local resident.
The school exists in Survey Number 24 of Tumari village. The total extent of land in this survey number is 32 acres. In 1948, Savitramma had got granted eight acres of land in the same survey number. However, none of the family members had either cultivated or taken possession of the land so far, according to the villagers.
Sagar tahsildar issued the khata of eight acres in the name of Subraya, grandson of Savitramma, in April 2020. The sketch of the land in the khata covers the school and its playground.
“Since our childhood, we have played in this land. Thousands of people have studied in the school. How can this land be given to private people?” questioned Krishna Bhandari, a local resident. The villagers are finding fault with tahsildar Chandrashekhar Naik for issuing the khata, without verifying the structure that stood all these years on the land. Lokpal Jain, president of the centenary celebrations committee, said while the villagers were preparing to hold centenary celebrations, they had been forced to begin a struggle to retain the school. “We will fight to save our school”, he said.
When The Hindu brought this issue to the notice of Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner K.B. Shivakumar, the officer said he would look into the issue.
