Government department encroaches ryots' land!

 
The case came up at the phone-in and public interaction programme held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Thursday. The complainant, Shankaregowda said the forest department encroached his 3.32 acre of land bordering forest in Harilapura in Periyapatna taluk.

Gowda, who appeared before the Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta during the public grievances meet said he had been fighting for the release of his land for the past 10 years but no avail.

“The forest officials have  constructed a trench in 3.32 acres of land out of the total eight acres land that belonged to my family,” Shankaregowda told the DC.

Joint survey

When DC inquired on the issue, a forest official said that the department was doing a joint survey with the revenue officials to identify the border of his agricultural land and forest.

Harsh Gupta immediately called the officials attached to the Hunsur forest division and directed them to solve the case within 2-3 days and file a report.

Later, speaking to reporters Shankaregowda said his family bought the land in 1996. The forest department constructed a trench encroaching upon his three acres 30 guntas of land. “I have every document, including the Khata to prove my claim.

But, the forest authorities only say that the land belonged to the forest region. A joint survey conducted seven months ago has also established my claim.

But, forest officials unnecessarily delayed returning the land. I have incurred loss for nearly ten years now,” the aggrieved farmer said.

Sand mining

Earlier, during the hour-long phone-in, the complaints on illegal sand mining poured in. A caller from Hampapura in H D Kote taluk said there was a rise in illegal sand mining in the lake bed area in Chinthanahalli village.

While, another caller from Kanagal said the road between Ramanathapura and Kanagal village is in bad state. The officials present in the meeting attributed it to the plying of sand lorries on the road.

The DC directed the Assistant Commissioner of Hunsur and other officials to effectively check heavily loaded sand trucks.

Ration

Besides, officials of the food and civil supplies department were asked to solve a complaint on non-availability of ration at PDS  shop in Bethahalli in T Narasipur taluk.
 To another query, an official said that there was a temporary ban on issuing license to new PDS shops. 

Additional Deputy Commissioner Betsurmath, ZP CEO Sathyvathi and others were present.