Land dispute: Did DPI mess up this 3-decade-old case?

Bengaluru: A day after the army's effort to take control of the three acres of land near J C Nagar, where four government schools are located, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) officials are facing flak for not taking up the case earlier.

According to some highly placed sources, in the year 2015, an army court was forced to decide the matter ex-parte as the Education Department did not show any interest in defending its stand. The land dispute is nearly three decades old and an army court announced its decision last year. “Even though the issue was moved later to the civil court, the army court judgment was upheld. If the DPI had made any effort at the army court level, it could have helped students,” said an officer.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait told Deccan Chronicle that state government officials have spoken to Defence Ministry officials over the issue. “The army wants the state government to send a proposal in this regard. We will provide all the necessary information in this regard,” he said. “We are ready even to pay rent to Defence Ministry. There is no question of shifting the school,” he said. Mysuru Maharaja had notified this land for educational purpose, he added.

DPI officials meet Army officials: On Wednesday, senior officials of the DPI held talks with the senior officials of the Army. According to sources, army authorities have assured of 10 days’ time to the state government to take an appropriate decision. Assurance from Sadananda Gowda: Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) Krupa Alva said union minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda has who assured that he would bring it to the notice of the authorities concerned. Alva told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Gowda, who represents the area in parliament, would take the required action to protect the schools.

10 days to sort issue
The State government will get a period of 10 days to find a solution
According to sources, in an army court, the issue was dismissed as ex-parte as the state government did not honor the notices and claims of the army
In 2015, the then commissioner of DPI had brought the issue to the notice of the state government but no action was taken

History of the schools
The Government Urdu Model school which is functioning inside the campus was set up in the year 1780. Other institutions in the campus are primary Tamil school, Kannada model school and government junior college.

Not the first time
In Karnataka, the Army is fighting around 57 cases over land ownership disputes.
It claims that the 13-acre land on which the Bangalore Club was built belongs to them.
In Goutampura, locals and army officials are at logger heads over building a wall.
In Ulsoor, army officials and locals are in a dispute over the ownership of land where Sri Guddada Muneshwara Swamy Temple was built.
At the Byappanahalli Main Road too, local authorities and army officials are at loggerheads over the area where an overbridge has been proposed.