The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : More cases of encroachments on government land detected

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 05, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

More cases of encroachments on government land detected

Special Correspondent

135 acres worth over Rs. 200 crore illegally occupied, committee finds

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Occupied land: A.T. Ramaswamy, Chairman of the Joint Legislature Committee formed to look into encroachment of government land, along with committee members and officials, inspecting an illegal quarry on the outskirts of Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: The Joint Legislature Committee headed by A.T. Ramaswamy set up to identify encroachments on government land in Bangalore Urban district has detected more cases of encroachment. A total of 135 acres of revenue, gomala and darkhast land worth over Rs. 200 crore was found to have been occupied, among others, by a quarrying unit of Larsen & Toubro, Khoday Distilleries, and the wife of retired IPS officer K.S. Mendegar in nine places in Bangalore South taluk.

Accompanied by committee members, officials and presspersons, Mr. Ramaswamy visited Cholanayakanahalli, Huluvenahalli, Soolivara, Kumbalgodu, Kattaraguppe, Srinagar, Pillaganahalli and Konanakunte on Tuesday.

Mr. Ramaswamy expressed displeasure over official inaction and the reluctance take legal measures to recover land that had been encroached upon and collect penalties, including taxes being evaded.

Referring to working conditions in 15 stone crushing units at Cholanayakanahalli, Huluvenahalli and Soolivara, Mr. Ramaswamy said those responsible for the illegal quarrying had also violated safety measures and environmental rules. The quarries in question were part of the Savanadurga Reserve Forest, he said.

Case registered

In Survey No. 73 at Cholanayakanahalli, seven persons had encroached upon 30.01 acres for quarrying. The officials concerned had registered a criminal case against them at the Tavarekere police station on January 18, 2007. In Survey No. 29 at Huluvenahalli, M.R. Lakshmanappa had illegally occupied 8.20 acres of gomala land for quarrying and refused vacate despite several notices. He had either “sub-leased or sold” the land to Mohammed Ghouse of Hassan, inquiries revealed. However, it was learnt a suit was pending before the Karnataka High Court, Mr. Ramaswamy said.

Referring to 376.38 acres of gomala land at Soolivara, Mr. Ramaswamy said that 21.20 acres had been leased out to Larsen & Toubro for 15 years in the name of B. Karthikeyan of the company. But the company had encroached upon 23.13 acres. However, following a government notice, it returned 15 acres and kept possession of 8.13 acres in its possession. The Revenue Department had filed a first information report against the company, he said.

In Survey No. 60 at Soolivara, Mahadevi Mendegar, wife of Mr. Mendegar, had encroached upon 9.20 acres adjacent to her farm. It was reported that Ms. Mendegar had surrendered the land to the Government. But the committee had recommended that the Government should initiate measures against her under the Land Reforms Act, which prohibited land being purchased by those who had an income of over Rs. 2 lakh from non-agricultural sources. It had also recommended that the land be seized, Mr. Ramaswamy said.

In Kumbalagodu, 13.10 acres had been encroached upon by five persons, including a non-resident Indian, Vital Lobo (7.35 acres), in Survey nos. 198 and 339. According to the revenue authorities, Dr. Lobo had returned the lands to the Government.

Mr. Ramaswamy said he had recommended the Government to recover 30 guntas encroached upon by Khoday Distilleries at Konanakunte.

Of the 113 acres leased to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises by the Government, Rahim Pasha, said to be a journalist, had illegally formed a residential layout. The committee had recommended legal action against Mr. Pasha, Mr. Ramaswamy said.

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