DJ Halli residents booked for encroaching on drains

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) has registered an FIR against 14 people for failing to vacate storm water drains they had encroached upon in Muneshwara ward in Devarjeevana Halli (DJ Halli).

Based on a complaint by Neelakantaiah K P, the assistant executive engineer of the BBMP, KG Halli sub-division, the BMTF registered a case against Vasanthi, Ali Bai, Sarvana, Sipayi Muniswamy, Kali Veninayaga, Meenakshi, Chandana, Jhansirani, president of Shakthi Mariyamma temple, Padma Seth, Abdul Lathif, Lilli, Aboobakar, Anwar Pasha and others. The encroachments include houses, shops, school buildings and a temple.

In February 2015, the BBMP issued notices to the residents, marking on the buildings which had encroached upon the storm water drains that run through survey numbers 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Despite sufficient time given to the encroachers to vacate the place, the residents failed to remove encroachments.

According to a source, the BBMP had actually issued notices to at least 63 people whose buildings and structures had encroached upon the storm water drains, but the FIR has been lodged only against 14 of them. The source added that the local assistant executive engineer was not taking any action against the encroachers despite several orders issued by seniors officials of the BBMP and directions of the High Court.

The BMTF’s investigation officer, B Sumarani, said the FIR was registered just last week and she was yet to investigate the matter. She added that necessary action would be taken once the investigation was complete. “We cannot take any decision on demolition as it is the duty of the area engineers,” she maintained.

A few residents of the locality have filed a public interest litigation in the High Court for clearing storm water drains in DJ Halli ward along Periyar Nagar to Dr Ambedkar Medical College and Muneshwara ward.

They have contended that some resident have blocked the flow of drains by encroaching upon them and have been choking them by dumping garbage. The court had directed the area engineers to take necessary action to remove the illegal structures and even warned to initiate criminal proceedings against officials who fail to discharge their duties.