Politicos pressure CM to halt UPOR project in S'mogga

The tug-of-war between bureaucrats and politicians over continuation of Urban Property Ownership Records (UPOR) project to issue cards/certificates seems to have reached the final stage.

BJP leaders from Shivamogga have reportedly put pressure on Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to halt the project immediately, citing inconvenience to property owners.

But a senior officer of Survey, Settlement and Land Records told DH that only 11 applications seeking the issuance of property card are pending in Shivamogga city for disposal.

"In the last four years, around 10,000 properties got registered. So, where is the inconvenience to public?" he said, adding that people with vested interest were opposing the project.

The main objective is to stop fraudulent layouts developed on government land, lake, forest land. "Honest people will be protected and fraudulent property deals will be eradicated," he said.

The officer said the project was implemented in Shivamogga and Mangaluru five years ago. But there was resistance from politicians of all parties in both the cities. It is the only project which helps people get legal document of their properties. "Unscrupulous elements will not be able to cheat people. So, the project should be continued," he argued.

Preventing demolitions

He said politicians were spreading lies for personal gains. "The project will not cause inconvenience to genuine property owners. It will prevent demolition of houses, apartments constructed on government land, forest, lake in future. People need to understand the objective," he said.

Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra told DH: "We have not urged the government to discontinue the project, but to stop making submission of property card mandatory at the time of registration of properties, till the cards are issued to all property owners. We have not stopped the officials concerned from conducting the survey of properties in the city."