The Hindu : Karnataka News : Protest against demolition of buildings in Chikmagalur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Protest against demolition of buildings in Chikmagalur

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 15. The Government is sending the wrong signal to the people by being apathetic on issues that affect their daily lives and, at the same time, praising officers who are to blame for such situations, the Leader of the Opposition, D.H. Shankaramurthy, said in the Legislative Council today. He was referring to the Chikmagalur incident where the Deputy Commissioner had apparently ordered some properties to be demolished for widening roads.

Inquiry

After a heated argument in which the Opposition demanded an inquiry into the incident, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, conceded an inquiry by the Development Commissioner, Chiranjeev Singh, who is currently in the district.

During the discussion on the budget, Mr. Shankaramurthy said the Deputy Commissioner of Chikmagalur had taken the extreme step of pulling down buildings on the pretext of acquiring the land for widening roads, and there appeared to be a violation of the norms. The occupants and owners of the properties acquired by the Government had not been given notice, and the operation was executed in the night. Several of them had not received compensation, he said.

The Opposition members were upset when the Chief Minister did not respond with an assurance to suspend or otherwise punish the officer in question.

Defended

Mr. Singh defended the officer saying he had done a good job of ensuring the peaceful conduct of the Datta Jayanti celebrations a few months ago, and he is now ensuring that the implementation of the Supreme Court directives on removing encroachments on forest land go on smoothly.

Opposition members, including the Bharatiya Janata Party's M.R. Tanga and Balakrishna Bhat, and M.P. Nadagouda of Janata Dal (U), however, said it is unseemly of the Chief Minister to give "blanket certificates" to officials when this particular person had, on several occasions, flouted the rules.

He had arrested Mr Shankaramurthy and several BJP leaders and workers to ensure there was no trouble during the Datta Jayanti celebrations and not bothered to inform the Government that the Leader of the Opposition in the Council had been arrested.

The acting Chairman, V.R. Sudarshan, asked the members to remember that the performance of an official on duty and his behaviour or attitude have to be looked at in the right perspective.

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