NGT notice to BBMP over houses under power lines

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to submit a report on the allegation of illegal construction of houses and shops under the high power transmission lines and encroachment of stormwater drains in Ashwath Nagar area of North Bengaluru.

Hearing a petition, the NGT principal bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the BBMP should submit factual and action taken report in a month.

Petitioner Sharat R K alleged that in Ashwath Nagar, Thanisandra Main Road, which comes under the BBMP Ward No 6, houses and shops were illegally constructed under the overhead power lines without safety distance, violating the rules.

The petitioner also alleged that stormwater drains connected to lakes are encroached upon, resulting in untreated wastewater being discharged to the drains.

Roads are blocked due to illegal construction and parking, the petitioner said.

Though the petitioner sent a mail to the NGT about his complaint, the green bench treated it as the petition.

The next hearing will be on July 5.