Fresh land trouble for Siddaramaiah

The BJP on Friday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of violating norms and court directive while permitting change of land use for 2 acres 39 guntas in Lalbagh Siddapura here in 2014. 

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Jagadish Shettar, said prime land bearing survey nos 27/1, 27/2, 28/4, 28/5 and 28/6 in Lalbagh Siddapura was intended for a nursery, park and open space. 

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) did not acquire the land as it was meant for a nursery only. Shettar raised the issue on Friday during a discussion on motion of thanks to the governor’s address. 

A 1987 government order states that nursery should be maintained as a nursery and the land cannot be sold. If the conditions are violated then the BDA will have the power to acquire the land. Shettar said the original owner sold the land in violation of the above order and it was bought by a real estate group.

The new land owners applied for change of land use in July 2011 though it was marked as “park and open space” in the Revised Master Plan-2015, he said.

The technical cell of the urban development department (UDD) recommended rejection of the application while pointing out the 1987 order. 

Shettar also pointed to a direction of the Karnataka High Court that any change of land use should be placed and passed by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee.  

However, in contravention of the technical cell’s recommendation and court direction, UDD Additional Chief Secretary D Satyamurthy put up the file before the chief minister, Shettar added. Siddaramaiah then gave his assent on November 10, 2014. 

When asked about the beneficiary’s identity, Shettar told Deccan Herald that he would reveal the name after he gets the power of attorney documents. Shettar’s office furnished Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crop (RTC) documents marking the land for a nursery.