The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Bill 2014 may be amended to regularise construction on lake beds.

Following outcry against demolition drive against houses/buildings in Bengaluru, the State government said it may bring an amendment to Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Bill, 2014 to regularise the existing constructions on lake beds which are non-existent on the ground.

In reality many of lakes are found only in government records, but are ‘dead’ or do not exist. The government is holding talks with Law Department officials to bring an amendment to Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Bill, 2014 to protect the interest of ordinary citizens who have built their homes on such lands.

The ongoing eviction of encroachments on lake bed areas in the city is being carried out in accordance with the High Court order.

The Benagaluru Urban District has been demolishing houses/commercial complexes constructed on lake beds in the City for the past few days.

Reacting to questions on the demolition drive, Home Minister K.J. George told presspersons that the Government would amend the 2014 Bill for regularisation of non-existent lake beds in the IT capital.

Bengaluru urban district in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that stringent action will be taken against the officials who created fake land records and colluded with land developers to sell housing sites to innocent people.

First Information Reports have been registered against nine officials of various departments and agencies and 38 developers and land grabbers.

JD(S):

The JD(S) has demanded immediate stoppage of demolition of illegal houses/buildings constructed on lake beds in the City by the Bengaluru Urban district authorities.

The demolition of houses/buildings should be stopped till the legislature panel headed by Congress MLA K.B. Koliwad submit a report on extent of encroachment of lake beds in the City, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told presspersons here on Tuesday.

The BDA has developed Dollars’ Colony at JP Nagar on Ninganna lake bed in 1997 and 407 prominent citizens, including MP and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje, former PWD Minister C.M. Udasi, retired IAS officer I.M. Vittal Murthy, former MLA Varade Gowda and sitting Karnataka High Court judge, have constructed houses spending crore of rupees. “Will the Government demolish the houses build in the layout?” he asked.

Now, the BDA was developing Arakavathi Layout on lake beds of Dasapura and Jakkur. A total of 150 acres of Jakkur and Dasapura lakes had been encroached for the Arkavathi Layout in the City, he said.

The Advocate General and Additional Advocate General had not argued the case in the Karnataka High Court, he said and urged Chief Minister Siddaramaaiah to take up with issue with the Chief Justice of the High Court to provide justice to innocent people who had purchased/constructed houses.