BENGALURU: Following a recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) order against 63 houses illegally built on the stormwater drain (SWD) connecting Hosakerehalli Lake, the District Administration has shifted the onus on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to evict occupants and take up demolition.
However, activists say that BBMP which has already passed many demolition orders against illegal buildings will repeat the same and will not heed the orders of NGT.
A lake engineer clarified that the encroachments are not within the lake itself, placing the responsibility on the Stormwater Drain department to take action.
Talking to The New Indian Express, Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban Jagadeesha G said, “We have identified and marked encroached areas. Now, it is the duty of the BBMP to evict occupants,” he said.
Another senior official from the Revenue Department revealed that two multi-storied buildings within the SWD fall under the lake’s buffer zone.
Notably, both structures were built by government agencies-- Karnataka Slum Board built 30 temporary shelters, while the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) built 33 houses with concrete roofs. “Both the government agencies should be held responsible,” he said.
Activist Joseph Hoover who lives adjacent to the Hosakerehalli lake area demanded a probe against the BDA officials who approved the illegal project. Concerns over BBMP’s enforcement remain high, as activists argue that despite issuing demolition orders Section 356 of the BBMP Act, the civic body has failed to take concrete action against unauthorised constructions.