Pvt developers form layout in lake near Mysore

Mysore, Apr 19 (UNI) A major land grabbing scam by private developers was unearthed when a team of officials from the Mysore City Corporation and Forest department inspected lakes in and around the city to revive it under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The team, led by Corporation Commissioner Dr K N Chandrashekhar and DCF Chikkappiah, inspected seven lakes and found that a lake near Hinkal village on the outskirts of the city was allegedly encroached upon by private developers and formed a layout on 100 acres out of the total 260 acres. The developer had callously laid a road right through the heart of the lake, blocking the water source.

Under the JNNURM project, Mysore was one among the 63 cities selected for the overall development of the city and its suburbs at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore for the next seven years. The seven lakes here were to be taken up for development at a cost of Rs ten crore.

Referring to the encroachment of the lake, Dr Chandrasekhar said he would write to the Deputy Commissioner, seeking details of the private developers and necessary action would be taken against them after knowing the facts.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner and Mysore Urban Development Authority Chairman asked the Tahsildar to probe the matter.

It may be recalled here that Karnataka Water Resources Minister K S Eshwarappa had recently warned against encroachment of lakes in the wake of around 1,865 lakes among the 10,000 in the State being encroached upon by real estate agents and land developers.

UNI