Bengaluru: Authorities issued notices to private building owners in some areas, warning of demolition if their documents were illegal. This is a part of the plan to clear lake beds of encroachments. Several multi-storeyed commercial buildings and houses have been razed to the ground in areas such as Banashankari and Banasvadi in the last few days.

“Some private buildings in Banaswadi were found to be illegally constructed on a lake-bed. We will demolish these structures if proper documents are not furnished to us. However a final decision will be taken by state government,” officials said.

The notices issued to private building owners have created a storm with the occupants lambasting the government authorities for “cheating” them years ago.

“Bangalore Development Authority officials have threatened us of demolition in next 15 days. What were they doing for 20 long years? Didn’t the officials then know we were building on the so-called ‘lake-bed’. They could have not allowed us to build then? We did not know it is illegally built on lake-bed,” the residents claimed.

“If we are found guilty on setting up buildings on tank bed, then those officials who gave us permission to build are also guilty. Will the government take action against the corrupt officials and politicians – everyone knows. They just want to protect big fish,” they said, as tempers ran high with the demolition underway in full swing.

Another resident said BDA had formed the layout on Banaswadi lake land and had sold the sites to more than 200 people in 1985.

“I purchased one of the sites in 1985 and constructed a building with my hard earned money.I have been paying property tax and electricity bills. Now the administration says our building is standing on a government lake,” he said.