Lake bed in Attibele encroached upon: panel

Lake bed in Attibele encroached upon: panel

The Hindu

Joint House committee inspects lands in Anekal taluk

# Nearly 1,838 acres of Government land encroached upon in Anekal taluk
# Fake documents being used to encroach upon Government lands
# Committee plans to take action against officials involved in producing fake documents

BANGALORE: The Joint House Committee of the Legislature, which was formed to survey land encroachments in and around Bangalore, visited Anekal taluk near the city on Tuesday. Committee's chairman A.T. Ramaswamy along with members M.P. Nadagowda, Madhu Swamy, S.S. Patil and K.B. Munivenkat Reddy inspected the lands near Attibele and Bommasandra.

The committee inspected a 62-acre land near Attibele and lands near Bommanahalli. The committee said the land in Attibele was lake bed and was occupied by farmers.

Mr. Ramaswamy told presspersons that nearly 1,838 acres of Government land was encroached upon in Anekal taluk. He said of the 32,348 acres of land in Anekal taluk, survey of 10,148 acres was completed and remaining 28,000 acres would be surveyed soon. The Revenue Department had been asked to furnish all survey details.

Inquiry

Mr. Ramaswamy said a detailed inquiry would be conducted regarding encroached lands in Anekal taluk. He said these lands in Anekal belonged to various departments in the State Government and the documents relating to these lands were with the Revenue Department.

The committee would hold a detailed inquiry into land encroachment in Bangalore and surrounding 15 districts, he added. Fake documents were being used to encroach Government lands and this was a serious issue, he said. Mr. Ramaswamy said officials and employees of the State Government were involved in producing fake documents for encroaching lands in and around Bangalore.

A total of 134 cases were registered against land grabbers for producing fake documents and the State Government would get back nearly 2,111 acres, he said. He said the committee was planning to initiate strict action against the officials involved in producing fake documents.

Mr. Ramaswamy said the Government had issued letters to farmers granting them one-acre land for agriculture, but the grants had been misused by farmers.

They had obtained more than 30 acres of land and were selling them to people. The committee had ordered a study into this issue.

Land developers

A survey by Urban Development Corporation had observed that private land developers had failed to contribute to the development of civic amenities, he said. A.T. Ramaswamy said nearly 750 acres of land belonging to the reserve forest of Bannerghatta in Anekal were encroached upon