Gowda seeks to implead himself in Nice plea
Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday filed an application in the High Court seeking to implead himself in the petition filed by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (Nice), challenging the recent direction of the Lokayukta Court ordering a probe into Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project.
The Lokayukta Court on October 25 ordered a probe into allegations of land grabbing in the Nice project, following a private complaint filed by social activist T J Abraham.
The Court had ordered investigation against 30 persons including H D Deve Gowda, former chief minister S M Krishna and Nice Managing Director Ashok Kheny. It had directed to seize the land and attach the toll collected in the last two years.
The Nice approached the High Court, challenging the order of the Lokayukta Court. During the previous hearing, Justice H N Nagmohan Das recused himself from hearing the petition.
The matter came up before Justice H Billappa on Tuesday, who ordered notice to Abraham, directing him to file objections by November 26. The Court also issued notice to Lokayukta police and asked them not to precipitate the matter till the next date of hearing.
On July 18, Abraham filed a complaint before the Lokayukta Court, alleging land grabbing in the Nice project. According to the complaint, of the 20,193 acre acquired for the project, Nice encroached upon 5,972 acre.
Notice on landfill
The High Court has issued notices to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Air Force Station, Yelahanka and the Department of Ecology in a public interest litigation, accusing the Palike of allowing a landfill at Mavallipura, located in the catchment area of Thippagondanahalli reservoir.
Environment Support Group (ESG) has approached the High Court, contending that the two landfills at Mavallipura were posing a threat to Arkavathy river, which flows in within a radius of 2.5 km of the landfills. The ESG has alleged that highly toxic leachate from the landfills was polluting the river.
According to the petition, the river eventually joins Cauvery and extensive pollution on the river course was causing health problems in the local communities. The ESG has sought decontamination of the landfills. Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen ordered notices to respondents.
Report on land swap
The State government has submitted a report to the High Court on swapping of land between Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike for solid waste management.
According to the report, as per a letter dated October 10, BMTC has agreed to part with its land at 12 places in favour of the Palike and the BBMP, in turn, has agreed to give four acres and 13 guntas at Kalasipalya to the BMTC. The proposal is under consideration.
It also said that notices have been issued in newspapers for purchase of land in Chikkaballapur district to be used as landfill. The report states that it had been decided to extend the buffer zone around dumping yards to 1,000 metre.
