Mysuru: Former KR MLA M.K. Somashekar has accused current MLA  S.A. Ramdas of stalling construction of over 5,000 houses for slum-dwellers by Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB), which he had got sanctioned when he was the MLA in the Siddharamaiah-headed Congress Government.

Addressing a press meet here on Saturday, Somashekar said that he had strived hard for getting the sanction to construct 1,344 houses at Malalawadi and 868 houses at Vishweshwaranagar in city for slum-dwellers four years ago when he was  the KR MLA.

Also, he had taken pains to get the funds released by the KSDB for the construction of the houses. But now the current MLA S.A. Ramdas  has stopped the contractor from executing the works, he alleged.

Continuing, Somashekar said that the Government had sanctioned Rs.18 crore for construction of 1,440 houses at Lalitadripura and 1,644 houses at Gorur for slum-dwellers over 21 months ago under Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme. But Ramdas has stalled the construction of these houses too and as result, the sanctioned fund is lying unused in the Deputy Commissioner’s account, he claimed.

Opposing the current Government’s move to construct G+14 type houses instead of G+2 type, he wondered whether G+14 type houses which have lift facility can be constructed at all with the sanctioned  amount.

He urged the Government to construct G+2 type houses, which he said were more beneficial to the slum-dwellers.

Corporators Gopi and Shobha Sunil, former Corporator Sunil and others were present.