The National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) has demanded that land reported to have been illegally transferred to some private companies and builders in Bangalore be reclaimed. It has also sought a comprehensive inquiry to bring the culprits to book.
Speaking to presspersons here on Sunday, NCPNR founder-president S.R. Hiremath said that it was a glaring example among land-grab cases involving powerful business firms, high-level officials and politicians.
Landless families in the area (Krishnarajapuram hobli) had asked the government to distribute land among them. But their plea was rejected citing that the land was not suitable for housing. But, later, the land was illegally transferred to powerful business firms and today, a luxurious residential complex stands on it, he said.
Mr. Hiremath said that 3.23 acres of land at Pattandur Agrahara in Krishnarajapuram hobli of Bangalore East taluk in Bangalore Urban district was sold to a private company at Rs. 4.28 crore, which, according to him, was 50 per cent less than the market value. The Special Deputy Commissioner had ordered transfer of land concerned subject to the condition that it was mandatorily used for the purpose to which it was provided to the business firm. But the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) transferred the land to a company manufacturing ice-cream through a sale deed on July 21, 2006 without mentioning any of the conditions laid down by the Special Deputy Commissioner.
He said that on May 26, 2006 the company (the ice-cream manufacturer) approached the single window clearance agency headed by the Chief Minister for approval to set up a software technology park on 8.7 acres of land, including the 3.23 acres of land transferred by KIADB.
The single window agency approved the proposal on August 11, 2006. Meanwhile, the company transferred the land to another company and thereafter, the KIADB sought the opinion of the then Advocate-General following objections raised from certain quarters.
The Advocate-General, in his legal opinion, said that the grant order issued by the Special Deputy Commissioner contained several conditions.
Mr. Hiremath said that the Advocate-General had said that the government and the KIADB should take action to reclaim the land.
