Revenue dept gave 16 tanks for BMIC: Panel

Revenue dept gave 16 tanks for BMIC: Panel
Deccan Herald

As many as 16 water tanks or water bodies have been given away by the Revenue department to the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project to facilitate the construction of its expressway.

As many as 16 water tanks or water bodies have been given away by the Revenue department to the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project to facilitate the construction of its expressway.

What does it mean? The Revenue department has violated the court ruling (issued in 1995) that no construction shall be permitted on lake beds or water bodies.

“It amounts to contempt of court,” Mr A T Ramaswamy, Chairman of the Joint Legislature Committee on government land encroachment, noted on Wednesday. To mention - Hoskerehalli tank in Bangalore is among the 16 tanks, he said and observed that as recently as in 2005, the court even said that if the expressway has to pass through the water bodies, it shall be as over bridges or pillared stretches only.

Mr Ramaswamy was addressing press persons after a two-day programme (a day of hearing and a day of spot inspections) as part of the committee’s work.

“Official connivance stands out in most of the cases on encroachments that have been brought before the committee,” Mr Ramaswamy said and added, “Sourcing the information on encroachments through fabricated documents is a challenge before us.”

Reportedly, as on date, the extent of encroachment on government land in Bangalore urban and rural districts is 5,000 acres. As per records, the government also owns 10,397 acres in the jodigramas in these districts, the committee has sought a status report on it, he said.

Spot inspections

At Byrasandra (in the vicinity of Nimhans hospital and RGUHS), the committee found that work on a private apartment complex in government land continues. Three weeks ago, during a spot inspection of the same site, the committee had cited it as encroachment and had ordered a halt to the work.

When the committee visited the spot around 10.30 am, on Wednesday, all the construction workers were huddled in their hutments. Upon enquiry, the workers said that they had reported to work as usual at 8.30 am and around 10 am they were asked to pack up for a while. The committee took note that somebody had tipped off the developers about their re-visit.

Elsewhere, adjacent to Kempapura Main Road, in Konanakunte, the committee inspected nearly 14 acres of BDA property where there are buildings galore. Palatial bungalows, some well known schools, playgrounds among them. At Mango Garden Layout in the area, Mr Pasha Mohideen, an elder, told mediapersons that the entire area was the “ancestral property” of his extended family.

“We have been living here for many generations. For public good we have given some land to educational institutions, we even run a school ourselves. About two acres has been given for a playground too,” he said.

The media persons accompanied the Committee members on a visit to his playground. A locked, green coloured gate greeted them. Within it, was a milestone like structure; “BDA Property” it read. A football goalpost formed its backdrop.