136 acres of Bengaluru lake land reclaimed from squatters

Many people living in homes built on lake land were evicted during the raids

In simultaneous raids on Saturday, officials reclaimed 136 acres of land belonging to 58 lakes from encroachers, besides four acres and 29 guntas of gomala land in Anekal.

The highest recovery was made in Yelahanka taluk where 52 acres were removed from 21 lakes. Much of the encroachments ranged from a few guntas to 13 acres.

In Bengaluru East taluk, where rapid urbanisation has been cited as a reason for high pollution, more than 39 acres of land was recovered in Kittaganur, Baiyappanahali, Mullur, Varthur and other areas.

In Anekal, 14 acres of land which is part of 11 lakes was seized with the four acres and 29 guntas of gomala land with an estimated market value of Rs 15 crore.

Officials razed structures like sheds, compound walls and small business establishments at several places, even as the occupants pleaded for more time to vacate the place. Some of them claimed they paid lakhs of rupees to buy the place.

Officials pointed out that the land belongs to the government and asked them to file police complaints. “But no one was forthcoming to file a complaint,” an official added.

About 17 acres were encroached upon in places like Bettanagere Lake in Dasanapura hobli in North Bengaluru. In all, officials reclaimed 29 acres and 19 guntas of land in the taluk.

They also regained two acres and 12 guntas in Bengaluru South in Kanaminake, Agara, Nattigere, Gubbalala, Tavarekere, Mailasandra and other lakes. Nearly 4,500 acres of lake land belonging to 837 waterbodies remains unrecovered in Bengaluru Urban.