JOIN USThe land records section of the Bengaluru Urban district seems to have done a major favour to a prominent builder who has encroached upon the Sarakki lake.
Highly placed sources in the Bengaluru urban district said the officials in the land records section have openly favoured the big builder, who has built a multi-storey apartment on the edge of the lake.
Deputy Commissioner V Shankar said: “There are many doubts over the way this particular apartment has been exempted. We'll conduct a fresh survey and get it rectified. If there is some foul play to benefit someone, we will not spare the guilty officials.”
The Assistant Commissioner of Bengaluru South L C Nagaraj said: “I have no doubts in my mind that a good portion of the apartment encroaches the lake. But strangely, the map has been drawn in such a fashion that the apartment has been exempted.”
The village map, said sources, show straight lines towards the side of an ashram, but the survey sketch shows sudden bend in the line, which raises doubts.
Once the demolition is over and the land is reclaimed, the BDA will be asked to speedily restore the lake so that no fresh encroachment happens there, said Shankar.
Activists happy
Members of the People's Campaign for Right to Water (PCRW) were the happiest lot on Thursday, for their efforts to save Sarakki lake bore some fruits.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Eshwarappa of PCRW expressed his happiness that the efforts have begun on the ground to save the lake. “But this anti-encroachment drive will be treated as a partial victory. Our struggle will continue till the time, the lake is fully restored.” He said the ball is now in the BDA's court and they need to act to revive the lake.