Date:24/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/24/stories/2006052412800400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Encroachments on public land cleared in Bangalore Urban

Special Correspondent

The proceedings were launched by the district administration

The 12 hectares of land recovered is located at Dasanapura village, near the Pune highway
It is estimated to be worth at least Rs. 30 crore
There were nearly 2,000 huts on the land

The land was allotted for the Ashraya scheme in 2003

Bangalore: The Bangalore Urban district administration has taken up recovery of government land and removal of encroachments from tanks and lakes and rainwater channels feeding them. On Tuesday morning, officials with the help of the police, removed encroachments to recover 12 hectares of government land (Survey No. 101) at Dasanapura village, near the Pune highway.

Deputy Commissioner M.A. Sadiq said: "At conservative estimates, the land recovered is worth at least Rs. 30 crore, and today's operation should sound alarm bells among land grabbers who exploit the homeless."

Land grabbers, attracted by high property prices in Bangalore Urban district, zeroed in on vacant lands and encouraged huts, mostly temporary shelters, to come up. Once the "colony" was established, they induced the hut owners to leave and, with mostly fabricated documents, disposed of such lands at high prices, the district administration has found. There were nearly 2,000 huts on the Dasanapura land.

"In the case of the Dasanapura land, it was allotted in 2003 to the zilla panchayat to build houses for the homeless under the Ashraya scheme but this never happened. We will try to find out through the Government the possible reasons for delays which give room for encroachments,'' Mr. Sadiq said.

A survey to identify encroachments on rainwater channels and lakes is under way in Kodegahalli, Hebbal, K.R. Puram, Puttenahalli and surrounding areas and on Mysore Road. As for the possibility of the Puttenahalli lake overflowing again, Mr. Sadiq said besides removal of buildings from the lake and channels feeding it, a disaster management plan was ready.

Survey

A major survey of all public land in the district, including land under the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Development Authority and city municipal councils is under way. Of 23,000 hectares of public land, 1,537 hectares has been found encroached upon. The survey details are being computerised to create a large database. This is expected to come in handy when dealing with encroachments.