BENGALURU: In a rare move, suo motu action by Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa led to the removal of 229 encroachments spread across six acres of the 508-acre-38-gunta Jagaluru lake in Davanagere district, with authorities demolishing houses, shops and other illegal structures.
The Upa Lokayukta has not stopped the matter there itself but also directed the authorities concerned to identify which chief officers of the Jagaluru Town Panchayat formed sites in the six acres of the lake, distributed sites in violation of the Karnataka Land Revenue Rules and Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act and initiate criminal proceedings against them.
The action has to be initiated after the disposal of the matters pending before the high court in relation to the remaining 50 encroachments, whose representatives have approached the court against the removal of their premises and got an interim order, and submit the action taken report by July 28, 2026, the Upa Lokayukta said in the order.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report on the dying of Jagalur lake owing to encroachment and pollution, which amounts to maladministration under Section 2(10) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, Justice Veerappa registered the case against 11 officials, starting from the Assistant Commissioner of Davanagere to the Chief Officer of the Town Panchayat of Jagalur, in July 2025.
Citing the verdicts of the apex court on the right to live in a healthy environment and the obligatory functions cast on the panchayat authorities to look after the water bodies, Upa Lokayukta expressed displeasure that the town planning authorities have not discharged their obligation.
While submitting the compliance report in response to the suomoto case and subsequent orders passed, the authorities have informed Upa Lokayukta about the order passed by the high court for the removal of encroachment of the lake and also stated that they have also filed objections to vacate the interim order concerning 50 encroachments.
The chief officer of Jagalur town panchayat informed that they have erected signage against encroachment and dumping of waste into the lake. Also, to prevent the sewage from joining the lake, he has also informed that it was proposed to construct three wetwells for the sewage treatment plant, and work has begun for the faecal sludge treatment plant, which will be completed expeditiously.
On the other hand, the Executive Engineer of Minor Irrigation and Ground Water Development Sub Division of Davanagere informed Upa Lokayukta that the High Court has passed an order to demolish the houses constructed on the lake area illegally. Accordingly, after following the due procedure of law, a joint operation was carried out on March 5, 2026, and 229 encroachments have been removed, except 50 encroachments concerning the matters pending before the high court, which will take up hearing in July 2026.