<p>Revenue Minister R V Deshpande has sought a scientific report from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning on the minimum area required for forming a housing colony, or layout, with all basic amenities. </p>.<p>The report, when it comes, will help the authorities regulate rampant land conversions and rising litigations over revenue layouts around Bengaluru. If implemented properly, the report could put an end to the unscientific formation of layouts on the outskirts of the city. </p>.<p>Holding a review meeting of sub-registrars and tahsildars on Friday, Deshpande was surprised when no official had a clue about such a requirement. </p>.<p>"While officials have been approving land conversion files, none of them knew the actual extent of land required to develop a layout with all the facilities," a senior revenue official who attended the meeting told <span class="italic"><em>DH</em></span>. "The minister came down heavily on tahsildars for blindly clearing land conversion files without visiting the field and ascertaining the facts." </p>.<p>The meeting also exposed unscientific registration of agricultural lands to allow the construction of houses and apartment blocks, which has been leading to ownership clashes. </p>.<p>Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner B M Vijay Shankar told this newspaper: "Developers are only worried about marketing every piece of land and are least bothered about providing basic amenities such as parks. The report will help us check the formation of unscientific layouts." </p>.<p>The minister also ordered taking the possession of encroached lands and preventing further encroachments by land grabbers. Steps have also been taken to protect and preserve reclaimed government land, which can be used to build parks, libraries, etc.</p>
<p>Revenue Minister R V Deshpande has sought a scientific report from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning on the minimum area required for forming a housing colony, or layout, with all basic amenities. </p>.<p>The report, when it comes, will help the authorities regulate rampant land conversions and rising litigations over revenue layouts around Bengaluru. If implemented properly, the report could put an end to the unscientific formation of layouts on the outskirts of the city. </p>.<p>Holding a review meeting of sub-registrars and tahsildars on Friday, Deshpande was surprised when no official had a clue about such a requirement. </p>.<p>"While officials have been approving land conversion files, none of them knew the actual extent of land required to develop a layout with all the facilities," a senior revenue official who attended the meeting told <span class="italic"><em>DH</em></span>. "The minister came down heavily on tahsildars for blindly clearing land conversion files without visiting the field and ascertaining the facts." </p>.<p>The meeting also exposed unscientific registration of agricultural lands to allow the construction of houses and apartment blocks, which has been leading to ownership clashes. </p>.<p>Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner B M Vijay Shankar told this newspaper: "Developers are only worried about marketing every piece of land and are least bothered about providing basic amenities such as parks. The report will help us check the formation of unscientific layouts." </p>.<p>The minister also ordered taking the possession of encroached lands and preventing further encroachments by land grabbers. Steps have also been taken to protect and preserve reclaimed government land, which can be used to build parks, libraries, etc.</p>
