'Submit report on misuse of CA sites'

Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi has directed the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to submit a report by September 20 on the civic amenity (CA) sites and open spaces in private layouts.

This follows a complaint that BDA had failed to take action against private developers for failing to transfer such open sites to BDA.

Saidatta, the complainant, said that such open spaces or CA sites will have to be transferred to BDA as per Section 232 of the BDA Act.

The complaint stated that open spaces, CA sites and sites earmarked for parks in private layouts are encroached upon by private persons and are being used for commercial purpose. In most of the layouts, such sites have vanished because of BDA’s negligence. The BDA officials are hand in glove with private developers and private persons have caused huge loss to the public exchequer, the complaint said.

“The complainant has obtained certain information under the Right to Information Act. According to this, at Dollars Colony in JP Nagar, the park area has been encroached upon by a private trust. The complainant alleges that the BDA has violated the CA site allotment rules and the trust is undertaking commercial activity by getting the CA site allotted in its favour. Another CA site is allotted to Asaram, a self-styled saint. It is being used for commercial purpose in the name of social service. The members of this trust are now found to be involved in criminal activities,” Justice Adi said.

The complainant has enclosed documents to show BDA has allotted several CA sites and open spaces to private persons. Justice Adi has directed the BDA to furnish details of action taken against such private developers.

“Considering the nature of allegations and material produced with the complaint, I find that if there is misuse of open spaces, park areas or CA sites. It is not only a loss to the public, but also against the purpose of creating sites,” Adi said.