Ramalinga Reddy opposes revenue committee of BBMP

Transport and district in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy has struck a dissent note barely 24 hours after the BBMP formed a revenue committee to look into the legalities of revenue layouts, including those of land use changes, before the implementation of the Akrama Sakrama Bill.

The Minister, in a letter to the Mayor and BBMP Commissioner, has termed the formation of the committee illegal and sought its immediate cancellation.

The BBMP had previously formed two committees on OFC and advertisement other than the 12 existing standing committees, but the formation of revenue committee, comprising 12 members and headed by Kacharakanahalli corporator Padmanabha Reddy, stirred up a hornet’s nest.

The revenue committee was entrusted with the job of investigating the illegal layouts with genuine ‘A’ khata and keeping them out of the Akrama Sakrama scheme.

Reviewing records

It was tasked with reviewing records in 110 village panchayats, city municipal councils and town municipal councils that were brought under the jurisdiction of BBMP, to identify illegal layouts. It was also assigned to recommend issuing of ‘A’ khata to genuine layouts.

Other corporator members of the committee are S K Nataraj, H Ravindra, B R Nanjundappa, H R Krishnappa, K Ramesh Raju, L Ramesh, M Nagaraj, M K Gunashekar, Ahmed Rizwan Nawab, M Srinivas and joint commissioner H Janappa (member secretary).

Soon after the formation of the committee, the minister shot off an ‘urgent’ letter to the Mayor and commissioner, saying that this committee was illegal, since it was violating Section 74 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, which mandates only 12 standing committees.

He termed three other committees illegal, namely OFC committee, advertisement committee and the revenue committee.

Referring to the letter by the Leader of the Opposition in the BBMP Council, Manjunath Reddy, the Minister said the new committees violate the powers conferred on the 12 standing committees.

“Besides creating a mess within the 12 standing committees, these committees will affect daily activities of people and officers engaged in the work as these officers will be diverted from their routine job,” said the minister.

He directed the commissioner to immediately dissolve the newly formed committeess and not to form any such committee in future.

Later Ramalinga Reddy told Deccan Herald that when there were already 12 standing committees, there was no need for any other committee.

“Besides Manjunath Reddy, corporators of the ruling party too have urged me to intervene and dissolve the committees. This compelled me to write the letter,” Ramalinga Reddy said.