NGT orders eviction notice to multi-storey buildings, 60 houses on Hosakerehalli SWD

Bengaluru: Residents of two multi-storey buildings and 63 houses are facing eviction after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered authorities to issue notices for the removal of encroachers from the buffer zone of a stormwater drain (SWD) that connects to Hosakerehalli Lake.

The tribunal's order followed a report by K Jagadeesh, Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district, which detailed encroachments on the SWD's buffer zone.

According to the report, based on a spot inspection by the Bangalore South taluk tahsildar, the buffer zone requires a 15-meter clearance and is classified as a tertiary drain.

"The tahsildar's report revealed that the buffer zone contains two multi-storey buildings, 30 houses made of temporary sheds from the Karnataka Slum Development Board, and 33 RCC residential buildings in an area acquired for the Bengaluru Development Authority," stated the southern zone bench of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati.

The Deputy Commissioner further informed that the multi-storey buildings were also owned by the Karnataka Slum Development Board. He requested at least two months to identify an alternative site for relocating the residents of these slums.

Despite this, the bench directed authorities to begin the preliminary eviction process.

"In the meantime, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as the responsible authority for clearing encroachments, is directed to issue the appropriate notices as per the law and proceed with the eviction," the order stated.

The tribunal has scheduled a further hearing on April 16.

The NGT is hearing an application from the Neighbourhood Watch Committee, which has raised concerns about the conservation of Hosakerehalli Lake.

The encroachment of drains in the area has led to multiple instances of flooding, causing significant damage and loss. Although eviction drives have been conducted in the past to clear sheds, the construction of multi-storey buildings has continued.