Benglauru: A cabinet meeting slated for June 4th will take a view on the ongoing lake bed demolitions. The demolitions have been stayed till then. This, after residents mounted tremendous pressure on the govt. which is now caught between the High Court which ordered the demolitions, its own corrupt officials which granted licences to build on these defunct lakes and the residents who are who hugely affected.

The decision to defer the drive was taken in a meeting convened by Upalokayukta Justice Subhash Adi which was attended by Additional Chief Secretary D Satya Murty, Principal Secretary Basavaraj, BDA Commissioner T Sham Bhatt, Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district V Shankar, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Development Authority and several officers.

Justice Adi pointed out that there were allegations of bias by district authorities between people with houses in private layouts and those who have property in BDA layouts, even if both are on lake beds.

The Upalokayukta also sought to know from the deputy commissioner whether he has any order or direction to exclude any layout or construction made by the BDA.

In reply to a query, the BDA commissioner said the layouts have been formed on 14 lake  beds in the City, which was quickly disputed by Shankar, who submitted a list of 20 lakes which were encroached by the BDA to form layouts comprising some 5,000 sites and as per rules, all these houses have to be demolished.

The Upalokayukta asked Satya Murty and Basavaraj to submit the government’s view as to whether the deputy commissioner would go ahead with the demolition drive in respect of all the structures and properties over the lake area irrespective of whether such development is by private or public authorities. All officials unanimously agreed that there is no provision for discrimination so far as law enforcement is concerned.

Whether the BDA or a private person forms a layout on the lake bed, it must be treated as illegal and whoever violates rules should be subjected to legal action.

The officials were worried about the implication of demolishing structures. In the case of BDA and other government buildings, including bus stand, schools, colleges, stadium and other infrastructure, the loss will be somewhere close to Rs 15,000 crore.

Officials felt the government should focus only on functional and semi-functional lakes for preservation and revive them by clearing the storm water drains. The dead lakes should not be touched.

Later speaking to reporters, Justice Adi said that strict directions have been issued to the government to recover money from erring officials who broke the rules and led the BDA and the government to huge loss.

If those officials are dead, the government can recover money from the next of the kin of the deceased, he added.

BJP seeks White Paper

Meanwhile, the BJP?leaders on Wednesday demanded the ruling Congress, release a White Paper on the government’s stance on clearing lake encroachments in Bengaluru.

Speaking to the reporters, BJP?MLA?R?Ashoka questioned the government on why ministers are speaking in different tones.

“The chief minister, Home minister, Law minister and the district in-charge minister are all talking in different voices. Each one is giving his own opinion over how to protect the interests of the people who have built their homes on lake beds, knowingly or unknowingly.

“While one says that the government will regularise houses on dead lakes, another minister states the government will continue with its demolition drive. They are all confused and confusing the Bengalureans,” said Ashoka.

Ashoka said the government could have waited for the House Committee report on lake encroachments. This is smilar to the stand of the JD(S)

“Let them wait for the report, before starting to demolish the houses. We demand the government to call for a special session to discuss the serious issue of people’s lives being destroyed in the name of encroachment clearance drive,” said Ashoka. 

Meanwhile, BJP?MLA?C?T?Ravi blamed JD(S) and Congress for all the mess.

“It was their (JD-S, Cong) chief ministers who signed on the dotted line to create the layouts. Were they not aware of the lakes, when the layouts were being formed,” he questioned.