The Hindu : Karnataka News : Deposits for Arkavathy sites being refunded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Deposits for Arkavathy sites being refunded

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 31. The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, today said Rs. 916 crores collected from over two lakh applicants for sites in Arkavathy Layout in Bangalore is being refunded.

The project, for which the environmental clearances from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the State Environmental Approval Committee are awaited, has already seen the felling of 8,097 coconut palms, 6,106 eucalyptus and 92 other trees as per the Karnataka Tree Protection Act provisions, he said in reply to a question in the Legislative Council.

The promoter of the layout, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), has taken up the project at a cost of Rs. 933.5 crores.

Mr. Singh said there is no provision for the BDA to pay interest on the deposits.

He said the BDA planned to begin distribution of 10,000 sites on January 14, but some parties approached the High Court and obtained a stay order. The arguments are going on. Some members have sought details about the persons whose lands have been acquired and the compensation paid to them.

M.P. Nadagouda (Janata Dal-U) said the Government avoided answering the question in three sessions.

Responding to this statement, Mr. Dharam Singh told the House that after the preliminary notification and before the final notification, 1,089 acres of land was acquired. "However, after I took charge, not even a single acre of land has been denotified," he said.

The Leader of the Opposition, D.H. Shankaramurthy, and Ramachandra Gowda (both Bharatiya Janata Party) asked what the Government proposes to do in case the environmental clearances are not received. The Chief Minister declined to answer the question.

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