BENGALURU: The High Court on Wednesday slammed Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner M Lakshminarayana for not following the court order to clear encroachments on footpaths and not acting against officials who have failed to carry out their duties.
The bench was hearing petitions on encroachments and the death of a girl who was washed away in a drain last month.
Upon perusal of the reports and submissions made by the petitioners, the Chief Justice expressed displeasure over the BBMP’s actions and asked the state government to look into and monitor BBMP’s work.
As the counsel representing the civic body could not make it to the hearing, the court made the commissioner himself argue his case in a hearing that lasted almost an hour.
The court had asked the Palike to clear all city roads but the petitioners submitted that little had been done in this direction. Furious, the bench directed BBMP to submit a day-to-day status report with photographs.
It also criticised Lakshminarayana for not getting started on rehabilitating street vendors to move them off footpaths.
“Do you have the courage to act against officers or are you under pressure from politicians?” the court asked the commissioner.
“Issue showcause notices to the officials concerned and seek an explanation. If there is dereliction of duty on part of the officials, suspend them. If the commissioner makes up his mind, people will see results,” it observed.
On the petition seeking action against officials responsible for the death of the girl who fell down a drain, the bench expressed its displeasure at the pace of investigations and asked government and BBMP officials to expedite the probe and keep the court informed.