BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court directed Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) not to lay tracks for a toy train within 30 metres of the outer boundary wall of Mallathahalli Lake. However, it has permitted BBMP to carry out work on diversion of solid waste, leachate/sewage water flowing into the lake by constructing stormwater drains and other development works, in terms of permission granted by the state government.
A division bench of Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty passed the order on the public interest litigation filed by social activist Geetha Misra, through which court is monitoring the development of lakes.
Before this, petitioner’s counsel GR Mohan prayed to court to pass a stay order on construction of a railway track for a toy train, hanging bridge and glass house, stop dumping debris on the lake bed, remove encroachments from the lake and buffer zone immediately.
The BBMP, in flagrant violation of Section 12 of the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority Act, 2014, is constructing recreational infrastructure within 30m of the boundary wall of the lake, he argued.
However, the petitioner has no grievance with regard to works undertaken for improvement of the lakebed, pathway for the lake and construction of a retaining wall for the lake, but the objection is only with regard to construction of a glass house, hanging bridge, pathway bridge, and for providing a bridge for a toy train track.
In reply, BBMP’s counsel submitted that construction of the glass house, hanging bridge and pathway bridge had been put on hold and BBMP will not carry out any construction activity without permission of the court. Work on the train track was undertaken after obtaining permission from the state government and Lake Development Authority, he argued.
Plea filed on slum clearance
An application was filed on behalf of the Slum Clearance Board, seeking modification of the order dated September 12, 2022, on the ground that encroachment of 1 acre 17 guntas of Subramanyapura lake is not a notified slum, therefore, the Board has no authority to take action for removal of encroachments. The government advocate prayed for time to enable him to get details about the slum, and share the action plan for removal of encroachments.