MLA A T Ramaswamy, president of Joint Legislature Committee inquiring into encroachment of Government land in and around Bangalore, has once again come down heavily on the State government.
Addressing a press conference in Bangalore on Saturday, Mr Ramaswamy alleged that as the government machinery has failed to defend its stand in the encroachment case of 3 acre 26 guntas land belonging to NIMHANS, the Karnataka High Court has allowed the private builder to go ahead with the construction.
In its judgement on July 5, Karnataka High Court said that the private developer can go ahead with his construction at his own risk. It also asked the City Civil Court, where the case related to title suit of the said land is still pending, to clear the case within two months.
Mr Ramaswamy said “Had the Government defended its stand in the court strongly the court would have not allowed the alleged encroacher to go ahead with his construction.
It is a clear case of Government machinery’s failure.
If an apartment complex comes up in the premises of NIMHANS it would spoil the whole environment of the institution .”
Byrasandra tank
Mr Ramaswamy said 15 acre and 11 gunta land of Byrasandra tank had been mortgaged by Sierra Property Developers Private Ltd at Jayanagar branch of Indian Overseas Bank. A Chennai based person has given a cheque of Rs 42,17,600 of City Union Bank based in Chennai to M C Bopanna, managing director of Sierra Developers. Jayanagar branch Indian Overseas Bank encashed the cheque without verifying whether the account in Chennai Bank had so much money.
As there was no money in the account of the person who gave the cheque, the Bank converted the money given to Mr Bopanna as loan.
Mr Bopanna along with the help of H Subramanya, who claimed that he had general power of attorney (GPA) of the tank area mortgaged the land for the loan, he said.
However records with the Government are clear that the land belong to the Forest department. BMP had handed it over to Forest department to develop tree park in the area, Mr Ramaswamy said.
Govt passive
He criticised that the State government has been passive while taking action against big players.
So far it has taken action only against common people who have encroached a paltry extent of land.
Asked about an unsigned letter dropped to media houses alleging that legal adviser of the committee G K Bhat himself had been facing criminal charges in connection with land deal, Mr Ramaswamy also added that he would look into the matter if the committee received the complaint.