BENGALURU: The High Court on Wednesday issued emergent notice to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad in connection with a contempt petition filed by Samarpana, a cultural and social organisation.
Samarpana had filed a public interest litigation seeking directions to the BBMP to demolish two big malls and a star hotel that are allegedly constructed on storm water drains, and a park. A division bench had earlier observed that the matter requires investigation into factual aspects.
A bench Justices S Abdul Nazeer and K S Mudagal had asked the petitioner to submit a representation on the matter to the Commissioner within a fortnight and had ordered the Commissioner to consider the same and dispose it of within three months from the date of receiving the representation. However, the Commissioner did not comply with the order, argued advocate G R Mohan, representing the petitioner.
The petitioners had claimed that Brigade Enterprises Ltd has built huge apartments, Orion Mall, a five-star hotel and World Trade Centre by encroaching upon ‘B’ kharab land of the government to the extent of 3 acres and 8 guntas.
“G.STAAD Hotels Ltd has constructed the JW Marriott Hotel by encroaching upon an SWD and 22 guntas of government/public property. ETA Karnataka Estates Ltd has constructed a mall and apartments on land reserved for an open field, parks and gardens. Neither BBMP nor the government has taken any action,” the counsel argued.
Both BBMP and Urban Development Department officials are picking and choosing when it came to removing encroachments, the petitioners had stated.