JOIN USGovt has no rights over land at foot of Ch'hill, claims advocate
The original owner of the 2,000 acres of controversial land at the foot of Chamundi Hill is the Wadiyar family and the state government has no rights over it, said advocate for those who have bought lands from members of the royal family.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, advocate O Sham Bhat said accusations against deputy commissioner P S Vastrad that he has effected conversion of land from B Karab to A Karab holds no water as it is a private property.
Stating that there was 145 acres and 13 guntas of land under survey no 1 in Mysore Kasaba, 1,563 acres and 31 guntas under survey no 4 of Kurubarahalli, 178 acres and 28 guntas under survey no 41 of Alanahalli and 145 acres and 13 guntas under survey no 39 of Chowdahalli, Bhat said the state government itself has paid compensation for the land acquired under survey no 4 of Kurubarahalli for Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) some time back.
Pointing out that the high court had quashed an appeal made by MUDA staking claim over the garikemala (10 acres and 36 guntas) in front of the Amba Vilas Palace in 2009, he said the MUDA authorities themselves had admitted before the court that the garikemala and other lands were given to the then Maharaja Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar as per the accession treaty signed on January 26, 1950, with the Union Government. “The members of the royal family have the sole rights over the lands and they can sell them to whosoever they like and hence the buyers have got the kathas changed in their respective names,” he said.
“The state government can acquire lands required for providing civic amenities in public interest by paying adequate compensation. However, if the land so earmarked is not utilised for the specified purpose, it has to be reverted back to the original owner. The government itself has classified the land earmarked for construction of Nehru Loka as private property. Now, with the controversy cropping up, those who have bought the lands and are paying tax for almost the past 40 years are suffering,” Bhat said.
Accusing the state government, revenue department in particular, of not maintaining land records properly and not issuing kathas and allotting individual survey numbers for lands from time to time, Bhat said there were 213 katha holders in the above mentioned four survey numbers and their lands should be clearly demarcated and separate survey numbers issued to avoid further confusion and controversies.
“Even in 2007, the high court had upheld the rights of the scion of the royal family Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar over the lands in a case as per the treaty of 1950. However, the scion has not sold any lands. It was only that the then Maharaja, who had sold the lands for nominal prices to help the people,” he said.
Raghavendramurthy, Atheeq Ahmad, Manu and advocate Manjunath were present at the press meet.