The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to file caveats in designated courts before taking up demolition drives to clear illegal properties on stormwater drains in Bengaluru.
It will seek the help of elected representatives to reach out to tech companies, developers and builders, asking them to suo motu demolish their illegal structures on SWDs.
The cabinet, which took note of the Lokayukta directive and the high court’s stay, resolved to go ahead with the anti-encroachment drive.
In the legislative assembly, CM Basavaraj Bommai reiterated there would not be any discrimination in the drive to clear illegal occupants of stormwater drains. He has given directions to the BBMP chief commissioner and other officials not to succumb to any pressure.
Some ministers said Bommai has issued directions to the state law department and BBMP to file caveats in courts before the anti-encroachment drive. According to government officials, there are 1,953 encroachments on stormwater drains, of which over 1,300 have been removed.
BBMP, however, stated it’s unable to reclaim over 630 encroachment sites due to construction of residential buildings, apartments, businesses, schools, and hospitals. In the assembly, former chief minister HD Kumarswamy blamed the Bangalore Development Authority for many lakes disappearing and flooding in the city
Govt to strengthen Lokayukta
The government on Wednesday decided to strengthen the Lokayukta by giving additional manpower to deal with the surge of cases likely with the “re-merger” of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) with the quasi-judicial body. Government sources said the cabinet resolved to appoint an additional registrar to tackle the extra caseload.
The government decided to increase the salary and compensation to the Lokayukta along the lines of high court judges. “Earlier, the pay scale of the Lokayukta was a mix and match of high court and Supreme Court judges. While the salary was that of the high court, the allowances were on the lines of Supreme Court judges.
Now, we have decided to make both on the lines of high court judges,” said aminister. In other decisions, the cabinet resolved to continue the leases for Kannada schools being run by various NGOs and educational institutions on government land across the state.
A few other minor amendment bills and renovation of medical college buildings in Mysuru at a cost of Rs 89 crore was also passed. The cabinet has decided to extend the lease for the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha temple in JP Nagar, Bengaluru.
