PRESS NOTE: Advocate complains to Lok Ayukta against BBMP for shielding encroachments over storm water drains

PRESS NOTE
For kind favour of publication

BANGALORE JULY 3, 2009: Mr S. Umesh, President, Five Year Law Course Advocates Association on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Lok Ayukta against the Commissioner, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for failing to clear encroachments on storm water drains.

The advocate who has launched a campaign against encroachments had toured around Bangalore and submitted a list of seven such cases to the Commissioner along with photographic evidence.

In his complaint to the Lok Ayukta, Mr Umesh said though over 15 days had lapsed after he submitted the details to the Commissioner, no action was initiated against the encroachments.

“The failure of the BBMP to initiate action and the fact that these encroachments are allowed with impunity, has led to reasonable doubts that the BBMP officers are hand-in-glove with such anti-social elements,” the complaint added.

Giving instances of such encroachments, the complaint said, on MEG road in Ulsoor, the drain has been completely closed to construct a layout. The Ulsoor Gurudwara itself had come up on a storm water drain. In Jasma Bhavan Road on Millers Tank Bed the drain has been filled with soil to create a parking lot for the clubs on the road. Similarly, the Chowdeshwari Kalyana Mantap and Venkateshwara Nursing Home in Lakkasandra too had encroached upon the drains to create an exclusive parking lot. The BBMP itself is illegally constructing shops on a storm water drain at Shivajinagar.

Urging the Lok Ayukta to direct the BBMP Commissioner to immediately clear all encroachments over storm water drains, Mr Umesh said action should be initiated against past officers who permitted such encroachments and present officers who allowed them to continue. Proceedings should also be initiated against the owners of such encroachments.

“I am convinced that the BBMP will not initiate any action as such encroachments have taken place with the tacit approval of its own officers. Under the circumstances, I have no option but to knock on the doors of the Lok Ayukta in the interest of the citizens of Bangalore,” Mr Umesh noted.

Contact details: S. Umesh 9880356178 / 9341179266

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4735625.cms

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/lawyer-sets-storm-094

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS OVER STORM WATER DRAINS: Complaint filed before the Lok Ayukta of Karnataka by S. Umesh

July 2, 2009

To
The Lok Ayukta of Karnataka
Bangalore

Sir,

Sub: Complaint seeking action against illegal constructions over storm water drains in Bangalore and officers responsible for the same

Ref: Complaint submitted to the Commissioner, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on June 16, 2009, regarding illegal encroachment of storm water drains in Bangalore

The complainant humbly submits as under:

1. The complainant, S. Umesh is the President of the Five Year Law Course Advocates Association (Regd), Bangalore. The complainant has been in the forefront of espousing various social causes.

2. The complainant submits that with the onset of monsoons, the citizens of Bangalore are put to great hardship due to water logging on roads and flooding of houses. One of the main reasons for this is the encroachment of storm water drains and the illegal constructions over them.

3. As a public spirited citizen, the complainant recently toured around Bangalore and compiled a list of such encroachments. A formal complaint was filed with the Commissioner, BBMP, providing the list of encroachments along with photographic evidence. The complaint was duly acknowledged by the office of the Commissioner. (ANNEXURE 1). The complaint was also widely covered in the media.

4. The list of encroachments is as follows. The photographs are marked as ANNEXURE 2.

1. Chowdeshwari Kalyana Mantap, Lakkasandra, Bannerghatta Road: The Kalyana Mantap has not only encroached upon the storm water drain, but has also constructed a compound wall around it


2. Chowdeshwari Kalyana Mantap, Lakkasandra, Bannerghatta Road: The storm water drain which the Kalyana Mantap has encroached

3. Venkateshwara Nursing Home, Gupta Layout, Lakkasandra, Bannerghatta Road: This hospital has encroached upon the storm water drain to create an exclusive barricaded parking lot

4. Ulsoor Lake: The storm water drain near Ulsoor Lake on MEG Centre Road has been blocked by a wall to facilitate construction of a layout

5. Ulsoor Lake: The layout which has come up on the path of the storm water drain near Ulsoor Lake on MEG Centre Road. The storm water drain has been filled up to facilitate the layout

6. Ulsoor Gurudwara: The Gurudwara and a school have come up right on top of the storm water drain

7. Jasma Bhavan Road, Miller’s Tank Bund: The storm water drain is blocked and filled with mud to create a parking lot

8. Jasma Bhavan Road, Miller’s Tank Bund: The storm water drain which has been filled up to create parking space for Billiards and Badminton Clubs

9. Corporation Shops, Nala Road, Opp Beef Market, Shivajinagar: The BBMP is not only turning a blind eye towards wrong doers, but is itself breaking the law by construction a row of shops right over the storm water drain in Shivajinagar

5. The complainant would like to place on record that though over 15 days have lapsed since the filing of the said complaint, the BBMP has failed to initiate any action against the encroachments.

6. The failure of the BBMP to initiate action and the fact that such encroachments are allowed with impunity, has led to reasonable doubts in the mind of the complainant that the BBMP officers are hand-in-glove with such anti-social elements.

7. The complainant has also learnt that a huge sum of money is paid on a regular basis to BBMP officers by the encroachers.

PRAYER

Under the circumstances herein above cited, the complainant prays that the Lok Ayukta should:

1. Direct the BBMP Commissioner to immediately clear all encroachments over storm water drains
2. Identify and initiate proceedings against BBMP officers past and present who sanctioned such encroachments
3. Identify and initiate proceedings against present BBMP officers who have failed to take action against such encroachments
4. Initiate proceedings against the owners of such encroachments

The complainant submits that the BBMP has failed to act on his complaint. The complainant is further convinced that the BBMP will not initiate any action based on his complaint considering that such encroachments have taken place with the tacit approval of its own officers.

Under the circumstances, the complainant has no other option but to knock on the doors of the Lok Ayukta to seek remedies as mentioned above, in the interest of the citizens of Bangalore.

With regards,

(S. Umesh)

President, Five Year Law Course Advocates Association (Regd), Bangalore