Will give martyr's family new site, but demolition won't stop: Karnataka minister Parameshwar

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday waded into the issue of Pathankot martyr Lt. Col. E.K. Niranjan Kumar's house in Bengaluru being marked for partial demolition as the Karnataka government and the municipal authority in Bengaluru continue to carry out action against buildings that encroach on storm-water drains to prevent Chennai-like floods in the nation's technology capital.

Parrikar's assurance to "look into the matter" came hours after Karnataka home minister G. Parameshwar said the state government was ready to give Niranjan Kumar's family a new plot of land but the demolition of a pillar of his existing house would not stop.

A hue and cry had been raised when the authorities marked the house of Niranjan for demolition as a portion of it stood on a storm-water drain.

BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) officials had marked for demolition one of the three pillars on which Niranjan Kumar's house stands.

The family, however, protested and said it should at least be given time and allowed to demolish the pillar itself, rather than have the BBMP do it.

Niranjan's father Shivarajan had said, "The BBMP officials have marked for demolition one of the three pillars on which my (late) son Lt Col Niranjan Kumar's house is standing."

Shivarajan, who was in Kerala to arrange for a memorial for his son when the demolition squad arrived at their doorstep, admitted that one pillar did indeed encroach on the storm-water drain at Doddabommassandra near Vidyaranyapura, but said the family would like bring it into conformity with the law itself.

OneIndia News