Local politicians double up as land encroachers

Local politicians double up as land encroachers
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: A sprawling lake appears to have been swallowed by a neatly laid out residential layout from one side. On the other, a bustling stone quarry remains too close for comfort. ‘Tejaswini Nagar’ with its scenic view of Kammanahalli lake, makes a good location for a dream house. What most buyers don’t realise is that the layout stands on encroached land — a lake bed.
The joint legislature committee headed by MLA A T Ramaswamy, during an inspection
on Wednesday, found that the layout had taken over 1 acre and 5 guntas of the lake bed. Surendra Reddy, a JD(S) man, had developed these sites.
However, the panel comprising S Raghu, Roshan Baig and Vatal Nagaraj, was in for more rude shocks. At Padmanabhanagar, they were stunned to find that it wasn’t encroachment but land grabbing. “Unauthorised houses, bus depots and roads have come up over the lakes in Chikkallasandra. At least 17 acres of the lake bed have been grabbed by private builders, including a former BJP corporator L Srinivas. We have a list of 73 encroachers who have fake documents,’’ explained Ramaswamy. “The corporator has grabbed 37 guntas of land and has created a bus depot too.’’
The picture was no different at Arekere lake. “Five acres of the lake bed has been encroached by private parties. A huge building housing FoodWorld has come up across 1 acre and 40 guntas of lake bed and hutments have come up on 3 acres. We have asked the deputy commissioner to demolish the unauthorised building,’’ said Ramaswamy.
The panel visited Padmanabhanagar, Begur, Hulimavu, Kammanahalli, and Arekere, put the extent of encroached land at 55 acres worth Rs 500 crore.
At Kothnur Dinne, the panel was greeted by BDA engineers who refused to divulge details about persons who had encroached on forest land. “The compound around 10 acres of land has come up very recently. While the adjacent land has been illegally sold by Ramaswamy Raju, a former Congress councillor. There are 489 unauthorised houses and sites here,’’ rued Roshan Baig, a panel member.
The panel also came across two educational institutions. While Islamiah Institute of Technology in Hulimavu (National Park Road) had no documents to prove their ownership of 5 acres of land, PSBB Learning Leadership Academy had encroached a rajakaluve.
And the culprit?
The panel is likely to submit the encroachment report in July. Some of its critical observations: “In most cases, fingers are being pointed to local politicians. In some cases, developers have shown survey numbers of adjacent sites to buyers. In all cases, government officials, especially from the revenue department and BDA, have connived with builders to usurp land,’’ said Ramaswamy.
Cases registered
In just one month after the Karnataka Land Revenue Act amendment to check government land encroachment was approved, police have registered 408 cases in Bangalore district against encroachers.
A total of 1,133 persons have been arrested in connection with encroachment of 1,716 acres and 35 guntas of government land.
ADGP (land and order) Shankar Bidari on Wednesday said chargesheets have been submitted in 304 cases.
“Trial will commence soon. Of the remaining, chargesheets will be submitted in 40 cases by June 30. Investigation in 64 cases will be completed by July 31,’’ he said.
The Nelamangala police have registered the highest of 74 cases, while the Chikkajala police have booked 68.
Where and What
Chikkallasandra village — Two lakes encroached (Survey No. 76 and 83); 16 acres Kothnur Dinne — Survey No 75 and 85; 17 acres
Hulimavu — 5 acres Kammanahalli — 1 acre and 5 guntas Arekere — 5 acres