Bengaluru: For residents of Classic Orchards, a gated community on Bannerghatta Road, who have fought a long battle against the encroachment of rajakaluve, the Lokayukta’s instructions seeking a survey report, has brought a much needed relief.
These residents had alleged that builder Nakoda Construction Ltd was constructing a luxury apartment Aastha-Valmark in Kothnur village and had fudged the documents to obtain permissions. As a result of the encroachment, the residents said, water flooded inside the gated community. After knocking on many doors of the law, the residents had met the Lokayukta recently and urged him to stop the works. Following their demands, Justice Dr Bhaskar Rao directed the officials to expedite the enquiry into the case.
The technical advisory committee (TAC) and chief engineer of Lokayukta Anil Kumar, who held an enquiry meeting with some of the residents, joint director of Town Planning (South) Govindaraju and other lower level officers, were informed that the builder had encroached the government land of Sy.no.176/1 and 86/3 and had misrepresented facts by using a fabricated sketch of Sy.no.86/2.
“Further, he was told that a BBMP Executive Engineer (Storm Water Drain) of Bommanahalli zone had conducted a survey and confirmed that prima-facie the encroachment had taken place. The surveyor had even requested a surveyor to be deputed to establish the extent of the encroachment,” explained a resident of Classic Orchards Property Owners Association Subbu Hegde.
When Mr Anil Kumar questioned the BBMP officials on how they had given permission to the under-construction building, they had no convincing reply, added Mr Hegde. “The TAC has now given a time until June 10 to the Joint Director of Town Planning to give an explanation for not verifying facts before approving of the building plan. He has also directed the surveyor to complete the survey of the encroached rajakaluve and file the report before June 10,” he added.
In September last year Deccan Chronicle had reported the encroachment of rajakaluve by the builder Nakoda Construction Ltd and the fudging of the survey number to obtain permission to construct ‘Aastha Valmark’ in Kothnur village. Taking cognizance of this report, district-in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy had instructed the then BBMP commissioner to take action against the encroachment. Subsequently, the survey was conducted by the BBMP Executive Engineer (Storm Water Drain) of Bommanahalli zone.
