Bar on change in land use sought

Bar on change in land use sought

The Hindu

High Court moved for bar on change in land use Sadashivanagar residents' association files two interlocutory applications before court

# BMP had issued notices for violation of building bylaws and illegal change in land use
# After the BMP action, many people approached BDA seeking permission for change in land use

BANGALORE: The issue of building violations in Sadashivanagar took a new turn with the Sadashivanagar Residents' Association on Tuesday filing before the Karnataka High Court two interlocutory applications (IA).

In the IAs, the association has sought details on the number of applications received by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) from the residents of the area seeking permission for change in land use.

The second IA seeks a direction to the State Government not to permit any change in the land use during the pendency of the case.

The association said that after it had filed a public interest litigation in the court pointing out building violations in Sadashivanagar and seeking a direction to the authorities to take remedial action, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike had surveyed the area and issued preliminary and confirmatory notices to owners and tenants of buildings where violation of building bylaws and illegal change in land use had been noticed.

It said after the BMP began issuing notices and asking the owners and tenants why no action should be taken against them, many people had approached the BDA seeking permission for change in the land use.

The association said such a move would defeat the very purpose for which it had filed the petition and urged the court to direct the BDA to furnish a list of owners from January 2006 who had sought BDA permission for change in the land use. It said an earlier Division Bench of the High Court had sought for such a list from the BDA and the Government on the issue of violations in Koramangala.

Citing the case of Adigas (Jayanagar 5th Block), the association said the Supreme Court had laid down certain norms for the civic bodies while entertaining applications for change in the land use. It also sought a direction from the court to the Government not to permit any change in the land use in Sadashivanagar till the disposal of the petition.

Meanwhile, Justice B.S. Patil adjourned a petition by a CA firm in Sadashivanagar seeking a direction to the BMP to unseal its premises which it had sealed, citing change in the land use.