Bengaluru: At a time when the BBMP has claimed to be strict against those encroaching upon drains, it seems to have forgotten its own violations. According to former corporator N.R Ramesh, the BBMP has encroached upon drains in the heart of the city, including areas which are at a stone’s throw away from the BBMP head office.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Ramesh alleged, “While the BBMP is targeting individual homes of the middle class and the poor, it has turned a blind eye to its own violations. It seems to have forgotten the buildings it has constructed on drains and rented out in areas like J.C Road, Sudhamanagar and Double Road.”
According to Mr Ramesh, the BBMP has encroached upon a 33 feet wide and 125 feet long drain in Sudhamanagar and has constructed a four-storey building.
“The building is rented to a private organization called Micon Ltd. Also, similar violations have been committed on J.C Road and in the vicinity of J.C Road, where the BBMP has encroached upon 33*100 feet and 33*120 feet of the rajakaluve stretch. Further, it has even put up boards stating that the properties belong to the BBMP,” Mr Ramesh maintained.
The former corporator has now demanded that the illegal buildings must be demolished and criminal cases must be registered against officials who have given permission for the construction of these buildings.
Karnataka High Court dismisses PIL by affected resident
The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed a PIL filed by an activist who challenged the demolition drive by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike seeking direction that it be done according to law. The court dismissed the PIL citing that there was no public interest in the petition and affected persons could approach the court individually. Meanwhile the court also disposed a petition filed by a resident of Maruthi Layout, who had challenged the action of the palike to demolish a part of her house for encroaching rajakaluve. Earlier the court had questioned BBMP regarding parameters regarding rakjakaluve. BBMP Chief Engineer for the rajakaluve department had submitted that palike does not mark the encroachments and is done by the assistant director of land records (ADLR) department. Following the submissions, the court disposed the plea citing that authorities can initiate further action after the ADLR survey in this case.
