BENGALURU: Under heavy fire over its mismanagement of the unprecedented rain and flooding that created havoc in Bengaluru during the last few weeks, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) swung into action on Monday morning and demolished gates and compound walls of 15 properties, out of the 24 blacklisted, in Mahadevapura zone.
The properties which the BBMP began to bulldoze on Monday belong to middle-class owners. Properties belonging to big builders like Prestige, Epsilon, DivyaSree, and MLA Haris-owned Nalapad group in Mahadevapura Zone were served notices. The demolition drive started at 10 am, following directions from Zonal Commissioner, Dr K V Trilok Chandra.
Surveyors from Revenue Department, White Field Division Police, BBMP Marshals and engineers were deployed to clear encroachments that have come up on storm water drains (SWD). The encroachments have shrunk the width of the SWD, which runs from Chinnappanahalli to Varthuru lake, said Muni Reddy, Executive Engineer of Hoodi Sub-Division.
Court takes stock of lake encroachment
The petitioner has also brought to the notice of the court that the direction issued by a division bench of the high court in an order dated June 18, 2019, was not complied with even after 18 months having passed. In the order, the court had directed the State Government and the BBMP to carry out a survey of SWDs and removal of encroachments. While doing so, the court had granted six weeks time to both the State Government and the BBMP to place on record the steps taken for implementation of the said directions.
However it was not complied with, the applicant told the court through her counsel G R Mohan. Meanwhile, responding to directions issued in an order dated July 15 and 20, 2022, designated officers of Subramanyapura Lake and Begur Lake filed a compliance affidavit before the court on Monday. As per the affidavit, 81 private encroachments were found on Begur Lake of which 33 have been removed. With regard to Subramanyapura Lake, it is pointed out that the land measuring one acre and 17 guntas is being utilised for the purpose of a link road and there is encroachment of 3 acres and 39 guntas by slum dwellers. It was pointed out that the removal of encroachment by the slum dwellers has to be done by the Slum Clearance Board.
The court then directed the Executive Engineer of the Slum Board to appear before it on October 12, 2022. As for Puttenahalli Lake, it was pointed out that despite instructions, Executive Engineer of Bommanahalli Division of BBMP has not submitted the compliance report. Despite the July 20, 2022 order, neither any action has been taken for removal of encroachment nor a compliance report has been submitted following which the court directed the Executive Engineer concerned to appear before it on next date of hearing.