Illegal layouts in city put at 108

Illegal layouts in city put at 108

The Hindu

Politicians, retired officials are the culprits, says Revenue Minister

BANGALORE: There are 108 illegal residential layouts in and around Bangalore and those who have formed them include politicians and retired civil servants.

Revenue Minister M.P. Prakash told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had identified these layouts.

Intervening in the debate on demand for grants of the Revenue Department, Mr. Prakash said the layouts have been formed without obtaining permission from BDA and in violation of the law. On the Opposition's demand for his resignation for the failure to take action against land-grabbers, the Minister said the people did not elect him to tender resignation. There is not much difference in figures given by the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and himself with regard to the encroachment of government land in the city.

There are some loopholes in the land registration policy and de-notification which will be set right soon.

The Minister appealed to members to give their suggestions to formulate a transparent and flexible land registration policy. .S. Eshwarappa, Araga Jnanendra, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, R. Ashok (all BJP), Vatal Nagaraj (Kananda Chaluvali Vatal Paksha) and Jayaprakash Hegde (independent) demanded the Minister to reveal names of politicians and civil servants who have formed the illegal layouts.

They wanted to know the reason for the Government's inaction against the land-grabbers. Mr. Prakash said it is not possible for him to reveal names of all those involved in the land scam. It is difficult for him to reform the system. Names of land grabbers have been posted on the website of the department, he said.Roshan Baig (Congress) said several former ministers and civil servants have encroached upon government land. Hundreds of relatives and followers of former ministers are involved in the land scam and formed illegal layouts, he alleged.

A. Narayanaswamy (BJP) alleged that the land mafia has occupied over 2,000 acres of government land in Anekal taluk. A farmer has to obtain a no-objection certificate from at least 12 departments such as BDA, BMRDA, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, police, fire station, health officer and KPTCL for the sale or conversion of his land. Officials of each department seek money from farmers for registration of land conversion, he alleged.

Mr. Ashok said real estate agents had occupied lakes and tanks in B.T.M. Layout, Jayanagar, Indiranagar, and on the outskirts of the city and formed residential layouts. Water logging in the city during monsoon is because of the destruction of over 2,000 tanks.