The State Government has decided to take civil and criminal actions against land grabbers and officials who helped developers to construct structures on lake beds and government lands in Bengaluru.
Speaking at the press meet programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore and Bangalore Reporters’ Guild, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Opposition parties - BJP and JD (S) – have been opposing the demolition drive to gain public sympathy for the upcoming elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
“No matter how much influential and rich they are, we will take civil and criminal actions against builders/developers who have encroached government lands. Similar action would be taken against officials who collided with developers and supported them in constructions on lake beds,” the Chief Minister said.
Leaders of BJP and JD(S) demanded demolition of illegal constructions when they were in power. Committees headed by A.T. Ramaswamy, former JD(S) MLA and V. Balasubramanian, former IAS officer, were appointed and recommended recovery of encroachment of government lands.
“Our government acted as per recommendations of committees and judgments of Supreme Court and High Court,” he said adding that the poor would be rehabilitated.
A total of 4,052 acres of encroached lands worth Rs. 40,000 crore have been recovered in the last two years.
BBMP split :
“The BJP argued for BBMP’s split when it was in power and is now opposing it to gain political mileage. The BBMP was in mess owing to bad governance by the BJP during the last five years. Six treatment plants would commence functioning in Bengaluru in the next two months,” the Karnataka Chief Minister said.
