BDA-formed layout denotified
Wednesday, 06 October 2010 07:09
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The Deccan Herald 06.10.2010
BDA-formed layout denotified
Bangalore, Oct 5, DHNS
In an act, perhaps first of its kind, the state government has denotified an entire block in a layout formed by the Bangalore Development Authority.
Sight of a JCB or a government vehicle scares some 80-odd site owners in First Block, Second Phase, Sixth Stage at Arekere, BTM Layout. And the reason for denotification? The government feels that the allottees have not constructed houses even after providing basic amenities spending crores of rupees.
The Bangalore Development Authority had issued notification for acquisition of lands in survey no. 79 and 80/1 of Arakere in 1990. Majority of the sites formed were of the dimension 20x30 feet and 30x40 feet. The corner sites were auctioned as recently as September 2007. Buildings are coming in the layout gradually and some have planned to lay foundation during the Dasara. The BDA, in its letter to the Urban Development Department has recommended denotification since the allottees have not constructed houses.
However, the government, in its denotification order has ‘returned’ the area to the owner, Hanumappa. The site owners came to know of the fact only when Hanumappa brought earth movers to ‘develop’ the area.
Perplexing
The denotification order in itself is perplexing. While the BDA letter mentions the owner of survey no. 80/1 as Hanumappa Reddy, the denotification order shows the name as Hanumappa. It also says that the order has been made in favour of one H Krishna Reddy and mentions the location as kasaba hobli instead of Begur hobli.
However, people who dreamt of having their own roof are feeling cheated. “I purchased a BDA site because of the trust I reposed in the government agency. But the denotification is nothing by a dacoity by state-run institution,” said Nagarathna, a site owner, fighting back tears.
She claimed that she had to sell her jewellery and buy the site. The site owners have decided to launch a stir against the denotification.
BDA clarification
BDA Commissioner Bharatlal Meena said the Authority had formed a layout by acquiring 3.26 acres in survey no. 80/1. He said the BDA had little role and the denotification decision is taken at the higher levels of the government.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 October 2010 07:11
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BBMP reforms default: Centre holds up JnNURM funds
Wednesday, 06 October 2010 07:07
administrator
The Deccan Herald 06.10.2010
BBMP reforms default: Centre holds up JnNURM funds
Sandeep Moudgal Bangalore, Oct 5, DHNS
Failure to implement mandatory reforms has cost the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike dearly. According to sources, the Union government has withheld its 35 per cent share of funds to the local body under the JnNURM scheme. According to the BBMP officials, under the scheme, the Union government had demanded two categories of reforms - compulsory and optional.
The former pertains to Palike’s duties towards citizens and the latter left to the discretion of the urban civic body.
Sources said as many as six automated systems of administration have been implemented in the past one year and few more were in the pipeline to meet the Centre’s demand of citzen-friendly governance.
Automated systems
“We have got the automated systems in place in the engineering section with the online tracking of project updates, the reforms in the property tax collection with the GIS and automated system for building plan approval by the Town Planning department. Many more reforms are in the pipeline,” a source said.
More reforms
The Centre’s resource allocation to the cash-starved BBMP has already been delayed by nearly one-and-half months. The Palike is now attempting to push in more reforms so as to get its share of funds.
The JnNURM scheme provides for 35 per cent of grants from the Union government, 15 percent from the State and 50 percent from the revenue accrual of the civic body.
The Palike, as of now, has received only 15 percent funds from the State.
The funds, coupled with the revenue accrual, total to Rs 350 crore.
Palike lacks Urban Planning Officer
G Manjusainath
Even as projects worth crores of rupees under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) are underway, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike is reluctant to fill up the post of Urban Planning Officer (UPO).
According to JnNURM guidelines, the role of UPO is central to effective planning and implementation of infrastructure activities. A UPO has to coordinate all activities defined in the Comprehensive Development Plan and ensure timely, quality implementation of projects and reforms. The government had appointed Thirukanagoudru as UPO on April 3, last year. But two months later, the BBMP created a new post - Additional Director of Town Planning - and gave him the job of urban planner as an additional task. The arrangement went on for nearly six months. But it could not impress the BBMP top brass.
However, unhappy with the services of Thirukangoudru, the then BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena wrote to the Urban Development Department to post some one else. The request, however, was dumped into the cold storage. The post is still lying vacant as revealed by an RTI query.
In addition, five of the eight posts required to be filled up under JnNURM are vacant. The eight posts are: IT Officer, Public Health Officer, Social and Community Development Officer, Urban Planning Officer, Human Resource Development officer, Environment Officer, Municipal Finance Officer and Procurement Officer. Recruitment has been done to fill up the vacancies of IT officer, HRD officer and Procurement Officer and the remaining five are vacant.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 October 2010 07:09
CM defies HC, SC fiats, denotifies BDA land
Monday, 04 October 2010 10:36
administrator
The Times of India 04.10.2010
CM defies HC, SC fiats, denotifies BDA land
BANGALORE: Even orders of Supreme Court and Karnataka High Court didn't deter chief minister B S Yeddyurappa from his denotifying spree — flouting strict orders and defying a strong protest by officials, the CM has denotified 5 acres, 13 guntas of land acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for a layout at Nagarabhavi as early as 1982.
In 1982, the BDA acquired 10 acres, 8 guntas of land at survey No. 78, Nagarbhavi I Phase, Yeshwanthpur hobli, Bangalore North taluk. On August 16, 1985, while issuing the final notification, it left out 35 guntas of land and notified 9 acres, 13 guntas. This was awarded on May 12, 1988.
Of the total 9 acres, 13 guntas, an area of 2 acres, 30 guntas was for construction of an 80-ft road, while a high-tension electricity wire passed through 1 acre, 10 guntas of land. The plan was to have 22 residential sites, 16 sites for shops, three sites for a park and open spaces, and one CA site.
Information obtained through RTI revealed that the land owners had approached HC and SC against acquisition by the BDA. Meanwhile, they petitioned the government to return to them (denotify) 5 acres, 13 guntas of land. They even put forward a compromise formula: "We will not claim compensation for 2 acres, 30 guntas if 5 acres 13 guntas are denotified in our favour."
BDA and urban development department officials rejected the application as it was illegal. On Nov 26, 2009, the BDA demolished all unauthorized structures on the land and began carving out the layout.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy batted for the applicants and the issue was taken before the CM. Defying the officials, the CM issued an order: "Treat this as a special case and denotify."
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