JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday defended the Bangalore Development Authority for allotting sites on some lakebeds stating that the waterbodies had lost all characteristics of lakes.
Replying to queries from reporters that BDA itself is in the dock for allotting sites on lakebeds, Siddaramaiah said, “Some lakes have lost all their features. For instance, the Kempegowda Bus Station has been built on a lake. The Congress office on Queen’s Road and other buildings on Miller’s Road are also on lakebeds. There are many such instances. We will have to demolish at least one lakh buildings. That is not practically possible,” he said.
On JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s challenge to the government to demolish illegal buildings of politicians, IAS and IPS officers at the posh Dollar’s Colony and JP Nagar, Siddaramaiah said nobody would be spared.
“Whether it is JP Nagar or any other place, properties which have come up on lakebeds and stormwater drains will not be spared. The government will not succumb to pressure from anyone,” he said. He rubbished charges that the government is only targeting the poor. If the drive is not taken up, the repercussions will be disastrous every time it rains.