BENGALURU: After the suspension of Bengaluru East tahsildar Ajit Kumar Rai for his alleged involvement in assisting encroachers get a court-ordered stay on demolition drive on their properties, activists and experts fear that it is the end of the drive, with officials expected to be engaged in election-related duties soon.
Ashwin Mahesh, an urban expert, said Bengaluru residents, who had suffered during the flooding following heavy rain in September, should be prepared to face the same woes next monsoon. “Residents should be concerned about the drive irrespective of where they stay, and only then, BBMP will do its job properly.”
Another resident said that many residents wanted the drive to stop to avoid their properties from being demolished. “The BBMP started the drive on some small properties and moved its bulldozers to remove only compound walls on the properties of some influential owners to show that they are serious. Soon, officials will be busy in election works, and when the city is again flooded next year, the matter will come up,” the resident said.
According to Sandeep Anirudhan, Wetland activist and convenor, Bengaluru Agenda for Mobility, the approach is addressing the symptoms and not the root cause. “The Wetland Rules first issued in 2010 and reissued in 2017 clearly mandate that a State Wetland Authority should be formed to identify, notify, protect, safeguard and revive all wetlands. Why is the government taking so long to implement it?” Anirudhan said.
Malati R, Executive Engineer, BBMP, SWD department, said the Palike is waiting for hearings to conclude in some cases and has engaged its officers and surveyors at Panathur, Challaghatta, Belathur, Amani Bellandur, Kalkere and other villages in Bengaluru East taluk. “The resurvey report will have to be examined by the tahsildar. Owners, who have encroached storm water drains, should be summoned during hearings. Then the drive can be conducted.”