Documents released to back land-grab allegation against Ramesh Kumar

Hiremath produces letter written by Deputy Commissioner to Principal Secretary

Founder President of Samaj Parivartana Samudaya ( SPS ) S.R. Hiremath adderssing the press on Wednesday. Photo:V Sreenivasa Murthy

Samaja Parivartan Samudaya president S.R. Hiremath on Wednesday released a set of documents to substantiate his allegation of land grabbing against the former Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar.

At a news conference here, Mr. Hiremath produced a letter written by the Deputy Commissioner Kolar to the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department on October 8, 2013 on how Mr. Ramesh Kumar objected to a survey method adopted during the joint survey conducted on October 3, 2013 by a joint team comprising the Deputy Commissioner, the Deputy Conservator of Forest and the Deputy Director of Land Records.

This eight-page letter reveals the “undue influence”, and intervention, that Mr. Ramesh Kumar exerted on the local officials.

It is clear that the legislator had opposed the use of standard Gunter Chain (100 links = 22 yards), a survey method universally accepted since centuries and continued to be used to survey forest land and maps, he alleged.

Sivasailam, Principal Secretary, Forest, in his letter (October 31, 2013) to Basavaraj, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, said that the “joint survey conducted in the presence of Mr. Ramesh Kumar appears to be inadequate and inconclusive”. Mr. Sivasailam also said in his letter that the Gunter Chain method adopted is amply adequate to demarcate boundaries, he said.

In support of his argument, Mr. Sivasailam’s letter states that “it is pertinent to mention here that the Deputy Commissioner is the custodian of all papers and records relating to the inquiry of the forest settlement officer and copies of original records relating to forestsettlement needs to be addressed by the Deputy Commissioner.

“His report which states that the Deputy Conservator of Forests could not provide forest settlement records at the time of survey may not be tenable as the original records were with the Deputy Commissioner.”

Mr. Sivasailam also urged the Commissioner of Survey and Settlement and Land Records to assist the local survey administration in the technical works of the survey and determine the boundaries, he said.