<div>The width of secondary drain that connects the main rajakaluve was five metres until last weekend. On Monday, the residents of Shubh Enclave in Kasavanahalli woke up to a new plan that left them furious.<br /><br />This is the same area where a posh villa and two buildings under construction were razed on Saturday and Sunday to make way for the stormwater drain from Kasavanahalli to Kaikondrahalli in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency. <br /><br />On Monday, there was a heated argument between local residents and officials over the alignment of stormwater drain. Residents of Shubh Enclave, which comprises around 100 houses were angry after officials changed the width of secondary drain from five metres to 7.4 metres. “We are not sure which building will be brought down next. What if the BBMP officials demolish a house without confirming whether it has been built illegally? We do not want to take a chance. We have right to see the village map and cannot depend on the wisdom of one surveyor. The houses have been constructed spending our hard-earned money,” said Vanitha Choonthur, residents’ association member.<br /><br /> “Why are you not sticking to one map? Put the map that you are referring in the public domain? You are changing the alignment of the drain only to favour the rich and powerful,” argued residents. <br /><br />A BBMP official said that consisting of three secondary drains and two main drains, the rajakaluve connects two interlinking lakes (Kasavanahalli and Kaikondrahalli). Shubh Enclave is located on the downstream. As many as 28 properties including buildings that have illegally come up on the rajakaluve would be cleared during the drive, he added. The demolition drive will resume on Tuesday.<br /><br />Geetha Pillai, a resident was worried that the officials would mess up with the map to favour the rich. “We will not let our houses being razed unless BBMP officials prove that this is a rajakaluve,” she said.<br /><br />Ravichandra Reddy, a retired employee was angry when BBMP men went onto demolish his compound wall to save the portion of a posh neighbouring house being razed. <br /><br />Mahendra Kumar, a software firm employee who lost his posh villa during the drive claimed that his house was demolished to favour the builder. There were similar complaints from residents of Avani Sringeri Nagar in Arakere on re-aligning the drains to favour the powerful. <br /><br />Meanwhile, BBMP officials said they were going by the village map. The width of rajakaluve varies from different points, from five metres to 20 metres. <br /><br />‘Won’t spare anyone’<br /><br />KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there was no question of sparing anyone in the demolition drive.<br /><br />“The drive to recover encroached land has been on for the last two years but is being taken on a priority basis after the recent floods in Bengaluru,” Rao said in a statement.<br /> </div>
<div>The width of secondary drain that connects the main rajakaluve was five metres until last weekend. On Monday, the residents of Shubh Enclave in Kasavanahalli woke up to a new plan that left them furious.<br /><br />This is the same area where a posh villa and two buildings under construction were razed on Saturday and Sunday to make way for the stormwater drain from Kasavanahalli to Kaikondrahalli in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency. <br /><br />On Monday, there was a heated argument between local residents and officials over the alignment of stormwater drain. Residents of Shubh Enclave, which comprises around 100 houses were angry after officials changed the width of secondary drain from five metres to 7.4 metres. “We are not sure which building will be brought down next. What if the BBMP officials demolish a house without confirming whether it has been built illegally? We do not want to take a chance. We have right to see the village map and cannot depend on the wisdom of one surveyor. The houses have been constructed spending our hard-earned money,” said Vanitha Choonthur, residents’ association member.<br /><br /> “Why are you not sticking to one map? Put the map that you are referring in the public domain? You are changing the alignment of the drain only to favour the rich and powerful,” argued residents. <br /><br />A BBMP official said that consisting of three secondary drains and two main drains, the rajakaluve connects two interlinking lakes (Kasavanahalli and Kaikondrahalli). Shubh Enclave is located on the downstream. As many as 28 properties including buildings that have illegally come up on the rajakaluve would be cleared during the drive, he added. The demolition drive will resume on Tuesday.<br /><br />Geetha Pillai, a resident was worried that the officials would mess up with the map to favour the rich. “We will not let our houses being razed unless BBMP officials prove that this is a rajakaluve,” she said.<br /><br />Ravichandra Reddy, a retired employee was angry when BBMP men went onto demolish his compound wall to save the portion of a posh neighbouring house being razed. <br /><br />Mahendra Kumar, a software firm employee who lost his posh villa during the drive claimed that his house was demolished to favour the builder. There were similar complaints from residents of Avani Sringeri Nagar in Arakere on re-aligning the drains to favour the powerful. <br /><br />Meanwhile, BBMP officials said they were going by the village map. The width of rajakaluve varies from different points, from five metres to 20 metres. <br /><br />‘Won’t spare anyone’<br /><br />KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there was no question of sparing anyone in the demolition drive.<br /><br />“The drive to recover encroached land has been on for the last two years but is being taken on a priority basis after the recent floods in Bengaluru,” Rao said in a statement.<br /> </div>
