Residents slam doors on e-Swathu awareness staff

At MGP meeting, MCC Zonal Commissioners mention disrespectful behaviour by some residents

Mysuru: While attempting to raise awareness about e-Swathu through a door-to-door campaign, residents often shut their doors on staff, lamented Anand, Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Zonal Office 8 and Mahesh Kumar Jigani, Commissioner of MCC Zone Office 4.

At the monthly meeting held on Sunday at the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) office on Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri, chaired by MGP President Srishaila Ramannanavar, challenges faced by the public in obtaining e-Khata, e-Swathu, and e-Design services were discussed.

The officers highlighted the difficulties in effectively reaching the public with these digital initiatives. Implementing e-Swathu and e-Khata is meant to benefit residents, but when efforts are made to raise awareness, many turn away and shut their doors, they lamented. Expressing frustration, they called such behaviour towards MCC staff disrespectful.

According to Anand, only 50 percent of residents in his zone and others have obtained e-Khata certification for their properties so far. He pointed out that the remaining residents either show no interest in acquiring e-Khata or face delays due to a lack of required supplementary documents.

With the State Government making e-Khata compulsory for property registration, the initiative is designed to curb fraud and illegal activities.

Sluggish pace of e-Khata

However, members at the meeting expressed concerns over the sluggish pace of e-Khata distribution at MCC Zonal Offices. They also highlighted how the process has become a breeding ground for corruption, undermining the initiative’s intent to ensure transparency and fairness.

Anand addressed concerns by stating that their zone has over 18,000 Khata holders, while Zone Office 4 has more than 20,000. Efforts are being made through awareness campaigns and door-to-door visits to educate property owners about obtaining e-Khata and e-Swathu. However, the process is riddled with challenges and inefficiencies.

Demand for bribes

MGP members pointed out that some MCC staff directly demand bribes of Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 from applicants, even when all their documents are in order. Despite waiting for over a year, many applicants have not received their e-Khata certificates.

Some residents, unable to endure the delays, have reluctantly paid the bribes to expedite the process. Members urged Anand to escalate these issues to the MCC Commissioner for immediate resolution.

Root cause

The root of the problem lies in the historical development of revenue sites and B-Khata sites within MCC limits, explained Mahesh. Decades ago, individuals built homes in urban areas without obtaining Khatas.

Issuing e-Khata for these properties remains a significant challenge. Furthermore, software glitches exacerbate delays, as rectifying errors in e-Khata records is time-consuming.

Members also complained about persistent delays in Zone Office 4. Many applicants, despite submitting all required documents months ago, have yet to receive their e-Khata. They accused lower-level staff of intentionally creating obstacles to solicit bribes, dragging the proces.

Old documents sought

Another major hurdle is the demand for outdated permission documents. Residents applying for e-Khata for houses built over a decade ago are often asked to produce construction approvals from the time of building.

Many homeowners do not retain such old documents, leaving them stuck in bureaucratic red tape. Senior citizens, who frequently visit these offices, face particular hardship navigating the cumbersome process. Members at the meeting urged officials to ensure proper guidance and a streamlined approach for these vulnerable groups.

Shobhana, P.M. Bhat, D.V. Dayanandasagar, K.V. Ramanath, Bhamy V. Shenoy, G. Sridhar, H.T. Raviprashanth, S.V. Shankar, K.G. Shashidhar, Sudhakar, Dr. G. Panduranga Murthy, K.V. Bhanuprashanth, Vishwanath, Arun Kumar Shettar, Prabha Nandish, Ravishankar Bale, M. Janakiram, U.R. Chetan, D. Ravindra, Rajashankarappa, N. Meenakshi, Manjunath, Rakesh, B.K. Prasanna were present.