The Hindu   04.08.2012

‘Encroached properties will be recovered’

Minister for Municipalities and Local Bodies Balachandra Jarakiholi on Friday said officials had been instructed to submit a report on encroachment of properties belonging to city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats in the State to the Department by August 31.

He said steps would be taken to recover encroached civic amenity sites and parks. The issue related to encroachment of properties of municipalities was debated during the just-concluded legislature session.

Mr. Jarakiholi, who reviewed the works undertaken by the department, told mediapersons the State Government has decided to take up road development and drainage works in areas coming under municipalities at a cost of about Rs 1,100 crore.

A total of 4,500 km roads would be asphalted by spending Rs. 20 lakh per km of road. Drainage works worth Rs. 247 crore would be taken up during the current financial year, he said. A committee headed by district in-charge ministers would identify roads to be developed and areas for drainage works. A sum of Rs. 74 crore has been released to urban local bodies to meet drinking water requirements, he said.