Bengaluru: In a shocking revelation, irregularities in the allotment of Ashraya sites to the members of economically weaker sections and backward communities have come to light. Some of the beneficiaries even after having the right documents are waiting for residential sites from more than 44 years!
For the third time irregularities have been found in allotment of sites in Survey No’s 13,17.18.20 in Chikkathoguru village, Begur Hobli, Bengaluru South taluk.
After cancelling the allotment of land to NICE project the court had ordered the allotment of land to the beneficiaries on February 22, 2012. The DC’s order was based on the Writ petition no.4820 of 1993 by Karnataka High Court to allot the land to allotees who were already given the land title deeds. The Sub Registrar was asked to register the title deeds and a special Tahsildar was asked to verify the eligibility. After obtaining promissory note from the each of the allottee, the Tahsildar would hand over the title deeds to the allotees.
A Writ petition was filed in the High Court of Karnataka, by advocate K.M.Venkataramanswamy on the behalf of the members of the society and a list of 903 beneficiaries were submitted to the court. In the petition to the court, the advocate has pointed out that though the sites are allotted to the beneficiaries, there were complaints from a few members that there were irregularities in the allotment.
According to the addresses of the 903 beneficiaries mentioned in the list provided by the office of Tahsildar, it could be made out that, allotees of the sites owned and lived in residential premises in premium localities of Bengaluru.
The court through its order has now instructed the Tahsildar and the concerned authorities to look into the complaints after inspecting the location and collecting all relevant documents along with the applications from beneficiaries against whom complaints exists. The court has also asked the Tahsildar, that the verification has to be done in the presence of villagers and produce a report without any delay treating the high court order on priority. The order was made W.P No: 48354/3024 (GM-RES) C/W W.P.Nos: 42839-43588/2014 and WP No.29224/2014 dated 17/06/2015.
Tahsildar of Bengaluru (South) was contacted to find out whether he had submitted the report that he was asked to do so on priority by the high court. The Tahsildar replied saying that a public notice was issued to all the 903 beneficiaries asking them to submit all relevant documents including income certificate.
According to the Tahsildar, all the beneficiaries were alloted lands in 2013 without income certificate or any other relevant documents. Till date, the office of Tahsildar, Bengaluru (South) has not yet received income certificate or any relevant documents from any allottee.
Shivakumar further said that there were irregularities in allotments for more than once pertaining to the same land at Chikkathoguru village, Begur Hobli, Bengaluru South taluk.
This reporter from NewsKarnataka had filed an RTI application on August 21, 2015 asking for the copies of income certificate and all other relevant documents of all the beneficiaries, which till dated has not been provided by the office of Tahsildar, Bengaluru South. On this Tahsildar Shivakumar said that a lady clerk who is dealing with the RTI file is likely to be suspended from duty.
As part of celebrations of the 25th year of Indian independence, Government of Karnataka distributed the title deeds (Hakku Patra) on January 15, 1972. According to sources in Panchayat, 30×40 sites were reserved to 1,000 members. Land records with tax paid receipts were also issued to members.
Nine people among hundreds of others made payments towards residential site ownership in the same Survey No’s 13,17.18.20 in Chikkathoguru village, Begur Hobli, Bengaluru South taluk and title deeds were distributed to the allotees. The sites are close to Electronic city in Bengaluru.
Property right documents were issued by the concerned authorities and 44 years have lapsed, but the wait for a residential site continues even now!
Among the nine allotees who are waiting after corresponding with the concerned authorities are one Rajendra Kumar and his friends who were allotted 30x40site. He feels that it’s a gross violation of high court orders. The gram panchyath officials earlier had asked the high court to cancel the allotment after receiving payments from the beneficiaries.
Expressing his views on behalf of all affected, Rajendra Kumar said, the high court delivered the verdict in W.P.no. 4820 on 25.8.93 in favour of the allotees and accordingly had made a payment of Rs 60,000 in 1995. Tax documents were shown as evidence containing all relevant details to this reporter from NewsKarnataka.
Officials cited Road development issue after sites allotment?
Continuing further Rajendra Kumar said, during his visit to the then Tahsildar’s office at Banashanakari, he was told that KIADB has acquired all the land mentioned above for NICE project. When queried with the Village Accountant in the panchayat as to why the allotment was cancelled without informing the beneficiaries concerned, the reply was that all the allotees were informed of the KIADB acquirement by way of a newspaper advertisement and alternate allotment will be made. When asked about the date of the newspapers with the advertisements, he had no reply.
Showing his dissatisfaction with the entire procedure, an aggrieved Kumar and his friends who were also beneficiaries said that they had written to the Special Deputy Commissioner, in-charge of these lands and to the Tahsildar, South. Both have given evasive answers.
No road works are carried out in the land where the sites exist and there are no signs of taking up such works in the near future. The allotees were made to wait for more than two years and then told by the then Chairman of the Panchayat, that under the conditions in the title deed, the allotees would lose the land automatically, if construction is not put up within two years after allotment. The allotees alleged that the officials in Panchayat, kept on giving some excuses or the other, for two full years and kept them away from carrying out any constructions on their site.
Some of the allotees who were made to run from pillar to post for allotment of site had approached the then Port, Fisheries, Ecology and Environment Minister who had written two letters, one on November 29, 2008 and once again on June 9, 2009, to the then Revenue Minister, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Secretary Revenue, Government of Karnataka. Though the allotees had approached the then Revenue Minister, DC and expressed their helplessness, the land has been wrested with NICE project.
Efforts of those who have waited for many years after receiving the title deed for the site allotment feel that the government has let them down. Those who have the title deed and are not allotted land have submitted plea for sites in a different location instead of compensation.
One has to watch what the government intends to do in this regard?