The BBMP intends to take legal action to recover the playground given to Clarence School in the city on a erpetual lease in 1949. BBMP commissioner M. K. Shankarlinge Gowda assured the BBMP council on Tuesday that the civic body would do its best to take back the ground from the school as its property could not be leased for more than 99 years. “Lease perpetual does not mean forever. Since the maximum lease period has expired, the BBMP can now claim the land back. The ground cannot be used for a purpose other than which it was allotted for,” he explained, replying to question by S Raghu of C. V. Raman Nagar.
The school recently lodged a complaint against Mr Raghu after he accompanied BBMP workers dismantling its compound wall for road widening between Sundarmurthy Road and Assaye Road. The management claimed the 2 acres and 65 cents ground was allotted to it on lease perpetual and the BBMP had no right to it . The commissioner , however, revealed that former councillor, N. Indira had urged the BBMP in 2003, to take the ground back and convert it into a public playground. She had also pointed out that the school had in violation of the lease agreement put up two structures without having their building plan approved, which was enough to nullify the lease agreement, he said. When BJP councillors demanded that the the BBMP should inspect the ground, the Mayor agreed to do so. Meanwhile, Shivanagar corporator Manjunath said a playground near KLE School was taken back on the request of minister S. Suresh Kumar.
