Govt officials accused of laxity in protecting Govt lands

Bangalore, Mar 8 (UNI) Chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee that is investigating encroachment of Government lands A T Ramaswamy today alleged that various State departments were not making any effort to protect Government lands in their possession in connivance with land sharks in Bangalore Urban and Rural districts.

Addressing newspersons here, he said large tracts of prime Government land was in the possession of various departments, including health, education and local bodies, but they showed scant interest in protecting it from land grabbers.

Mr Ramaswamy, quoting records, said the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's Town Planning authorities have illegally approved a township plan at a land belonging to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). Rights of the land, worth over Rs ten crore, were illegally transferred to a private land developer and a BBMP official was directly involved in it.

Citing another case, he said a well known excise contractor had illegally got transferred Rs 180 crore worth 188 acres of prime land near Kengeri, which was, however, cancelled by the Karnataka High Court recently. The hand of officials was evident in this illegal deal and he had written a letter to the State Government to take stern action against the guilty.

The Ramaswamy Committee, which had submitted its interim report recently to the State Government, had unearthed thousands of acres of Government land encroached upon by various individuals.

UNI