K'taka Assembly passes Bill against land grabbing

Bangalore, Apr 11 (UNI) The Karnataka Assembly today passed by voice vote the Karnataka Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2007, providing for measures to curb organised attempts to grab lands belonging to the Government, local authorities and other statutory or non-statutory bodies or controlled or managed by the Government.

Replying to a discussion on the Bill, Home and Law Minister M P Prakash said it was being introduced on an experimental basis and the teething problems raised by the members would be looked into.

Responding to a clarification sought by Mr Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), Mr Prakash said the Revenue department would be made the nodal agency for its implementation. A sum of Rs 1.69 crore was estimated to be spent from the State exchequer for the proposed legislative mesaure.

He said the Government would set up a Special Court for the purpose of providing speedy inquiry into any alleged act of land grabbing and land disputes. The Special Court would comprise a Chairman and four members.

Members J C Madhuswamy JD(U) and Mr G V Sriramareddy (CPI) pointed out that what amounted to land grabbing and penal clauses were not mentioned in the Bill.

Mr Somanna (Congress) and Mr Jaiprakash Hegde (Ind) insisted on a probe into all the activities of housing societies and misuse of lease under various guises.

UNI