Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) drew flak, on Tuesday, from the Joint Legislature Committee for illegally taking up a housing project on Kempambudhi tank bed.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the tank, the Committee Chairman A T Ramaswamy told reporters that BBMP is constructing houses for slum dwellers on one acre land on the tank bed near Kempe Gowdanagar.

“But as per the High Court order, no construction activity is allowed on the tank bed,”Ramaswamy added.

He also took a dig at BBMP for not maintaining the historically-significant lake, which was constructed by the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda. Sewerage is flowing inside the lake and there has been no maintenance, he said.

He asked the BBMP officials to stop laying roads inside the lake and also directed them to immediately plug the sewerage flow.

Clash

Even as Ramaswamy was inspecting the lake, members of Kempe Gowda Vokkaligara Vedike and some supporters of local Congress MLA K Chandrashekar protested over the issue of lack of maintenance of the lake.

The Vedike members alleged that the MLA has spoilt the lake by taking up unnecessary developmental projects.
The Congress workers took objections to this and a clash ensued.  Ramaswamy pacified both parties saying that he has directed officials to restore the lake to its old glory.

Penalty

Assistant Executive Engineer of Richmond Town subdivision has levied a penalty of Rs 30,000 on a private building under construction in Richmond Town for digging the road without prior permission.