Jagadish Shettar

MYSORE: Reiterating the Government's resolve to crack down on the land mafia and take action against those abetting encroachments, Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar has promised that he will study the Vijaybhaskar Report on land encroachment in Mysore and expose those named in it.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Shettar said he was not aware of the findings of the report on land encroachment in Mysore. Now that it had come to his notice, he would definitely study its findings.

It is pertinent to note that though the Minister feigned ignorance about it, the Vijaybhaskar Report was submitted almost 10 years ago. Sources in the Revenue Department said many influential persons in the city, including a few elected representatives and officials, have been apparently named in it. Mr. Shettar, however, refused to give a timeframe as to when he would seek the report nor did he indicate a deadline by when action would be initiated against the guilty. However, Mr. Shettar claimed that over 4,000 acres of land around Bangalore had been encroached upon and land records changed under benami transaction. But the Government had already identified 2,000 acres of prime land which had been grabbed and initiated action to revert the land to the Revenue Department.

A few unscrupulous officials were also involved in it and the Government was serious about curbing land grabbing. "Of the 2,000 acres identified, 200 acres of prime land has already been reclaimed and reverted to the department and the process for reclaiming the ownership of the remaining land is on," Mr. Shettar said.

The Government was not only committed to remove encroachments but would also initiate measures to ensure the conservation and protection of wetlands, Mr. Shettar said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail