The Hindu                14.12.2013

High Court puts BDA to work over the weekend to verify details of illegal structures

Special Correspondent

Noticing the failure of the official machinery in preventing unauthorised constructions around the Tippagondanahalli (T.G. Halli) reservoir catchment area, the Karnataka High Court on Friday directed Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) officials to work on three consecutive days, including two holidays, to verify details of unauthorised structures in 23 villages.

These villages fall under zone 3 of the catchment area, comprising areas within a kilometre from the banks of Arkavati and Kumudavati rivers.

The court directed the BDA Commissioner to constitute 23 teams to visit these villages over the weekend and on Monday, and submit a report on December 17.

It made it clear that team leaders would be accountable if even a single unauthorised structure is left out of the verification process.

Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda passed the interim order while hearing petitions filed by owners of some industrial units and godowns in zone 3, questioning the notices issued by the BDA for demolishing the structures.

‘Purpose defeated’

Interestingly, a report submitted by the government indicated that as against the 34 industrial units that existed in zone 3 before the categorisation was notified on November 18, 2003, around 137 units were found after notification, although this was prohibited. “This reflects very poorly on the administration and the law enforcing agencies. The very purpose of issuing notification, to protect catchment area by from prohibiting industries, sought to be defeated,” the court observed.

Public notice

The court appreciated the suggestion made on behalf of the BDA that a public notice would be issued in newspapers to draw the attention of owners of all unauthorised structures to the matter, instead of issuing individual notice to owners.

“Are you so helpless? Don’t you have men and machinery? This court is at a loss to understand as to what is the difficulty for the BDA to [serve] notices on such properties,” the High Court added.

The Hindu                14.12.2013

Officials clear illegal layouts near T.G. Halli

Nearly 4.5 acres of encroached government land valued at Rs. 35 crore has been recovered in the catchment area of the T.G. Halli reservoir, an important water source for Bangalore.

The operation was carried out on Friday by officials from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore Urban district.

The land had been encroached by private builders, who formed layouts and sold the sites, an official charged. The builders were allegedly hand in glove with village panchayat officials and had managed to get panchayat approvals for laying roads, providing drinking water, drainage, electricity connection and streetlights by fabricating documents. “This was to attract prospective clients [by claiming that] the layouts were approved by the authorities,” the official added. They had even reportedly applied for a licence for boating and liquor licences.

The Revenue Department had issued several show-cause notices to the builders, but they continued to sell the sites in the layouts — most bearing grand names such as Lakeview Paradise, Jala Shringar Villas and Jala Tarangini Extension to attract buyers — officials said. Villas, commercial establishments and houses had been built on the disputed land, several of which were owned by non-resident Indians.

Finally on Friday, the team led by Bangalore South tahsildar B.R. Dayanand visited the river bank in Channenahalli and Wattigana Hatti villages, demolished the structures and recovered the land.

Occupants of the houses reportedly requested officials to give them time to move out. Layout owners tried to delay the demolition by claiming they had a stay order, but officials went on with it as no copy of the court order was produced.

“We have sent a detailed report about the illegal encroachments and nexus between builders and village panchayat officials to the Deputy Commissioner,” Mr. Dayanand said.