Violations: BMP under fire again

Violations: BMP under fire again
Deccan Herald

Once again, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) stands cornered over the issue of building violations and encroachment. The Joint Legislature House Committee, headed by Mr A T Ramaswamy, visited various parts of the City on Wednesday and observed large-scale encroachment of government land.

Sample the following: A multi-storeyed building coming up on the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases campus has gone unchecked.

For the record, the BMP had given permission on January 17, 2006, but also withdrawn the same a week later. However, the building construction is still in progress.

The hospital authorities have now sought the intervention of the Committee after repeated pleas to the police and the BMP failed to evoke any response.

A 14-acre land on the campus has rampant encroachments — some 200 hutments have mushroomed in the area. Yet no effort has been made to evict them. “The matter has been brought to our notice and we will write to the Chief Secretary demanding action against the BMP officials, who have failed to keep vigil on these violations,” said Mr Ramaswamy.

The Committee also demanded a report over the acquisition of nearly 500 acres of land belonging to Kadugodi Reserved Forests by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board. As per the norms, reserved forest area cannot be acquired for any development purpose.

Following complaints of drainage lines of new apartments opening into the Kaggadasapura tank, the Committee has sought a report on the matter.

KASTURBA ROAD PROPERTY

Breach of agreement by UB Group: Panel

Bangalore, dhns: The Joint Legislature House Committee which is looking into the encroachment of government land in and around Bangalore, has detected breach of agreement by the United Breweries Group.

As per the agreement between the UB Group and the BMP, a piece of land (temple) belonging to the UB Group was given to the BMP, in exchange for a rose garden on Kasturba Road measuring 4,000 sq ft.

However, the terms of the agreement barred any construction on the rose garden area and blocking of the drainage passing through the area. During its visit on Wednesday, the Committee found that the drainage canal had been blocked. The Committee also wondered why the BMP had chosen to exchange the rose garden for a temple-land.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Committee Chairperson A T Ramaswamy said that the temple had been there for many years.

“I don’t know what prompted the BMP to hand-over the rose garden for an age-old temple premises. We suspect foulplay by BMP officers. We will recommend action against the guilty,” he added.