Bengaluru: The
BBMP on Tuesday told the Karnataka High Court that it has identified a
separate five acres of land elsewhere for relocating “illegal
occupants”, including residents of Economically Weaker Section quarters
in Ejipura.

The palike made the submission while the court
was hearing a petition filed by Ms Shanta Mary and 130 other present
occupants (tenants) of EWS quarters seeking directions to the palike to
grant them plots as earlier assured by BBMP in 2005.

A division
bench, headed by Chief Justice D.H. Waghela, issued notices to 70
original allottees in EWS quarters. According to the occupants, who have
appealed to the court, contended that BBMP had promised the tenants and
the occupants at the EWS quarters that they too would be allotted plots
along with the original allottees. But the Palike suppressed this fact
before the high court while it was hearing relocation cases in the past.

”The
BBMP had also issued a letter assuring accommodation to all the 1,300
tenants and occupants in 2005 once the final structure of the quarters
was constructed, but till date they have not considered our plea,”
petitioners contended.

The petitioners sought reconsideration of
the previous high court order which had directed that the 1,512 original
allottees had to be given newly constructed houses, while evicting all
occupants from the present site after October 8, 2012.

The
petitioners’ sought benefits not only to original allottees, but also to
the occupants who have been given certificates of residence by the
BBMP. They added that there are around 1,140 tenants and occupants.