Big shot land sharks let off hook?
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Big shot land sharks let off hook?
BY R. JAYAPRAKASH
BENGALURU
The big question staring the BJP government in the face is what it intends to do with the explosive findings of the A.T.
Ramaswamy Committee.
The report is an exhaustive record of over 46,000 encroachments on 45,000 acres of government land, all of which belongs to 28 state departments. The land has an estimated value of over Rs 50,000 crore.
The report to which Deccan Chronicle has exclusive access lists a number of politicians and industry leaders as well as film personalities and spiritual leaders in the long list of 46,000 encroachers.
But with the dissolution of the previous government, the ATR committee which unearthed the massive encroachment is in limbo.
Is the present B.S.
Yeddyurappa government going to step up the drive against illegal occupation of government land in and around Bengaluru or allow high profile encroachers off the hook?
Highly placed government sources said the documents relating to land encroachments is gathering dust and the present BJP led government in Karnataka has shown no willingness to take it up.
“The final report of the committee couldn’t be compiled as the committee stands dissolved. Nevertheless, the documents collected from over the 28 departments is good enough to prove large scale encroachments,” a source said.
“If the government is seri ous about getting at the encroachers it has to form another committee that will compile a fresh report based on the earlier committee’s findings. This must be submitted to the Speaker. Once that is done, action can be taken against the culprits based on the recommendations of the new committee,” sources said. The A.T.
Ramaswamy report lifts the lid on the steady encroachment of government land that has hitherto gone unreported, and despite protestations to the contrary may never see the light of day.
In the list are family members of former chief minister Gundu Rao, who have illegally occupied 47.34 acres in Jala hobli, Bangalore Urban district.
Of the total area encroached upon by the family, 30.39 acres are in the name of Varalakshmi Gundu Rao, wife of the late Gundu Rao. Gundu Rao’s son and former MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao has encroached upon 10.2 acres, while his brother Mahesh Gundu Rao has illegally occupied 6.15 acres. Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) has encroached upon 1.14 acres belonging to the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board in Dasanapura hobli. The company has encroached upon 4 guntas, 36 guntas and 16 guntas of land in three different places in the hobli.
The report says former minister Anjanamurthy has encroached upon about 26 guntas of land in Dasanapura hobli. Film producer E Krishnappa, of Mungaru Male fame, and his wife A Jagadamba have illegally occupied 24 guntas and 38 guntas in Madanaikanahalli respectively. Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, noted film distributor and former chairman of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce H.D. Gangaraju and Dr Vic- tor Lobo, are among those who figure in list of 46,000 encroachers. Vokkaligara Sangha is alleged to have encroached upon 26.20 acres government land in Srighanda Kaval in Banga- lore north taluk. The Sangha has constructed an educa- tional institution and a stu- dent hostel on the land, the value of which, as quoted in the report, is a whopping Rs 50 crores. The report also states that Siddharth, son-in- law of former CM and for- mer Maharastra Governor S.M. Krishna, has encroached on 1.12 acres of Byrasandra lake in the name of rejuvenating it. The ATR joint House committee has said that L&T company has been illegally doing quarry- ing on 38.03 acres in Tavarekere hobli. Film dis- tributor Gangaraju has allegedly encroached seven guntas in Pillahalli in Dasanapura hobli, 21 guntas in Vaderahalli and 21 guntas in BM Kaval and yesteryear star Vyjjayanthimala had encroached 2.20 acre gov ernment land in Vibhutipu ra, constructed an apartment and sold it.
Adichunchanagiri Mutt has encroached nearly 10 acres land in Kengeri, 5.20 acres in Ramohalli and 3.05 acres in Laggere. Similarly, Art of Living Foundation has encroached upon 6.35 acres of government land in Agara village in Kengeri.
The committee points out that the land encroached by the ashrama is worth more than Rs 8 crores. The com mittee has alleged that around 16 acres and 27 gun tas in Chikkanagamangala and Doddanagamangala in Anekal have been encroached by kith and kin of minister Katta Subra manya Naidu.
The committee couldn’t nail thousands of encroach ers as they have illegally occupied under benami names. Of the 45,000 acres encroached, 33,877 acres belong to the revenue department. Of these, 20,427 acres have been encroached by fabricating records, 5,569 acres for public works and 7,881 acres by land-grabbers.
In Bangalore Urban district, 22,109 acres have been encroached upon for agriculture purposes and 2,117 acres by residential layouts.
According to the committee, 35,666 people are involved.
The revenue department heads the list of departments from which land has been encroached, with 33,877 acres. Other departments that have lost land are forest (2,223.33 acres), Bangalore Development Authority (2,878 acres), lakes/tanks/water bodies (1,848 acres), Wakf (263.18 acres), cooperative (7.6 acres), animal husbandry (53.26 acres), Muzrai (61.0 acres), Slum Clearance Board (12.19 acres), Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (13.09 acres), Bangalore University (13.19 acres), Karnataka Housing Board (34 acres), Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (10.25 acres), agriculture (3.19 acres) and Nimhans (3.26 acres).
Source: The Deccan Chronicle
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