Bengaluru: HD Kumaraswamy seeks information on lakebeds from CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has written a letter to chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday seeking information on city lakes and the change of land use at tanks beds. He also sent a copy to Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, bringing to their notice on the need to furnish these details to the House committee, constituted to look into the encroachment of tank beds in the city.

After Mr Kumaraswamy had raised the issue of encroachment of tanks and lakes in the city in July last year, the assembly had constituted a House committee to look into the matter under the leadership of Congress MLA K.B. Koliwad.

In his letter to Chief Minister, Mr Kumaraswamy pointed that he was seeking information about the extent of encroachment of tanks and lakes in the city and the water bodies taken over by BDA through conversion.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the Chief Minister should direct the department concerned to immediately share information with the House committee and himself as well.

Earlier Mr Kumaraswamy had approached Bengaluru urban district officials in this regard and they had maintained that he could get the information from Revenue Minister Srinivas Prasad, since he was a MLA. However, when he approached the Minister he directed the department officials to furnish the details.

The officials told Mr Kumaraswamy that the information were sensitive and could not be shared with him. In his letter to Chief Minister, Mr Kumaraswamy also urged him to take action against officials who failed to act on minister’s directions.