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Court asks to maintain status quo, BBMP gives thumbs up for construction

  • District administration reclaims lake land by issuing demolition order to the illegal constructions
  • Courts orders status quo as residents approach it with the initial documents issued by BDA
  • Currently, the matter is still in the court, but owners ignore and continue with construction work
Court asks to maintain status quo BBMP gives thumbs up for construction

 

The district administration of Bengaluru had reclaimed lake land at Banasawadi from residents and also BDA in 2015. The construction work is going on on a spree in the buffer-zone including in the lake area.

 

In 2015, based on the reports from Department of Survey and Land Records, Harish Naik, Tahsildar of the Bengaluru East Taluk had issued a demolition order for the buildings erected in 42.38-acres of Banasawadi Lake area. Out of this total lake bed, construction had been done in the 24.81-acre land.  Surprisingly, even Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) had encroached upon 12.61 acres of land, had formed the HRBR Layout and had allotted 155 sites. This apart, over 50 private constructions also had come up in the lake bed.

 

Court asks to maintain status quo BBMP gives thumbs up for construction

 

Reacting on which former tahsildar Harish Naik said, “We had taken over the lake and the buffer zone. After marking the area, the board has been erected on which the Deputy Commissioner’s order to maintain the status quo has been mentioned. Few residents also had approached the court to stop the demolition stating that they had documents issued by the BDA and BBMP permitting to construct the buildings. Currently, the matter is before the high court."

 

The court directed both the parties to maintain status quo. Accordingly, no construction can take place in the above-mentioned land under the contention. However, a few owners have started construction.

 

Although the owner of one site was missing from the area, the mason said, the owner has given us the building sanction plan and also the design, and the work was being carried out according to the plan. The workers have dug up a borewell, and the foundation of the house is ready.

 

After Harish Naik was transferred, Tejas Kumar the newly-appointed tahsildar also directed the agencies concerned including the BBMP to fence the land to ensure that the status quo is maintained till the case is disposed of. But the BBMP is a party to issuing the plan for construction when the case is pending before the court.

 

Court asks to maintain status quo BBMP gives thumbs up for construction

 

"The BBMP town planning officers should have been careful before allowing any new construction in the land which is reclaimed by the Deputy Commissioner. I will issue notice against the Town Planning Department of BBMP for violation of court order. The owners cannot continue with construction as it amounts to contempt of court and they will get a notice," said Tejas Kumar.

 

The Resident Welfare Association which is aware of the court order and DC's circular says, “From the association, we have directed all the site owners to wait until the case reaches its logical end. "It is a violation of DC's and court’s order. The BBMP should also be held responsible for allowing construction on this site," said, DS Rajashekhar, Executive President, North East Resident Welfare Association, Bengaluru.

 

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