Akrama-Sakrama is just an eye wash: Residents

 
Residents Welfare Associations in the City felt the Government’s hurried move to provide “relief” is just an “eye-wash.”  “It is a ridiculous proposition that people will have to pay a sum for an illegal construction even as the bill has nothing to offer for  prevention of future violations,” said Colonel Mathew from the Citizen Action Forum.

According to him and other Resident Welfare Associations, the entire “relief” seems to come at an opportune time for garnering votes for the upcoming Bruhat Bangalore
Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections.

Reacting to the slashing of penalty by the State Government to regularise revenue sites, Kathyani Chamraj from CIVIC echoed the same and questioned the intent of the State Government to propose the “relief” now.

‘End illegal construction’

“The matter of illegal construction has been of a recurring nature in the City. There is a need for a comprehensive law that can put an end to this, rather than providing temporary relief,” said Chamraj.  

On the other hand, Nrupathunga Nagar Resident Welfare Association, Secretary, Ananthapamanabha said that the current rates are not signs of any relief. “We had proposed to the government for a nominal amount for regularisation but the amount that is being proposed is quite a hefty sum for people who cannot afford to pay so much,” Ananthapamanabha said.

He further stated that more than the relief, the government needed to concentrate on speeding the process of Khatha transfer for people who bought the land under various agencies and gram panchayat, now inducted into the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike  jurisdiction.

“Relief is a secondary issue, but more importantly providing legal documents are a priority. After all owning land is a dream of a lifetime for most citizens and it should not become a nightmare,”  he added.