Task force formed to protect valleys

Task force formed to protect valleys

The Hindu

17 high-rise buildings identified; owners to be issued notices

# Violators to be given three weeks
# Demolition to prevent encroachments in future
# Builders took advantage of vacant sites
# Puttenahalli Lake valley is the worst hit

BANGALORE: The Government has finally woken up to the need to protect tanks and valleys in the city. It issued a Government Order on November 3, constituting a task force, headed by Bangalore Development Authority Commissioner M.N. Vidyashankar, with the powers to remove encroachments along the tank beds as well as to reject approvals for proposals for buildings that do not have basements.

"The flooding in the city was key to us urging the Government to issue the order," said a member of the task force.

The task force has identified more than 17 high-rise buildings in the valleys, including commercial complexes and offices of software firms that will be brought down.

A task force member said a competent authority will issue notices to violators giving them three weeks time to respond.

According to a report by the task force, the valley near Puttenahalli Lake is one of the worst affected area, followed by Begur and Hebbal lakes.

Members of the task force say that haphazard planning and encroachments along the valleys are factors responsible for the flooding of the areas during the heavy rains in October.

Task Force members say encroachment along the valleys has been rampant because builders thought they can take advantage of the vacant land in the area and soon built several unauthorised structures.

"The problem is that many people do not know where the valley begins and to what extent it runs," said a task force member.

The Bangalore Development Authority's Draft Master Plan 2015 recommended the need to protect the valleys and tank beds of the city from further deterioration. It advocated that no structures should be allowed near valley and tank beds. But the Master Plan is yet to be approved.

Nagarbhavi Layout

Officials at the Bangalore Development Authority clarified that the Nagarbhavi Layout is not in the Vrishbhavathi Valley, but built on the periphery of the valley. "We are not bringing down any construction on the borders of the valley but only those within it," said an official.