The Government under the stewardship of tough Chief Minister has booked the erring and erred BBMP and BDA officials, who are still working and the retired for permitting or sanctioning the building plans on Raja Kaluve and lakes.
A news report:
CM suspends 13 BBMP officials who ‘let encroach-ments happen’; another seven who have already retired face action too
After razing the illegal structures built upon storm water drains in the city, the axe will now strike on officials who allowed these encroachments to take place. And to start with, the state government has identified 20 officials who allegedly colluded with realtors to illegally take up drain space.
The report prepared by additional chief secretary (urban development department) Mahendra Jain was tabled before chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday.
ources from within the chief minister’s office confirmed that a recommendation had been made for immediate suspension of these officials and for the filing criminal cases against each of them.
Of the 20 officials named, five belong to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the remaining are from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Seven have retired.
“Diversion of the storm water drain was the main reason for south Bengaluru getting flooded. Avani Shringeri Layout, Duo Enclave, Shubh Enclave, Central Excise Layout, Silk Board junction and KAS Colony were among the worst hit,” said an officer, who was part of the investigative team.
A source in the CM’s office said: “We have received the report from the urban development department. The immediate suspension of these officials, launching criminal prosecution and disciplinary inquiry against them is being recommended.”
BDA officials have been held responsible for issuing development plan for builders to take up the project, which also got the nod from their legal department,
explained an official in the know. “The BBMP officials were held responsible for granting permission to take up construction (building sanction plan) and then issuing commencement certificate, and at a later stage, the occupancy certificate, after inspecting the spot and still failing to see the violations,” said the official.
An excerpt from the report reads, “Nala was diverted sharp at 90 degree angle at two places to accommodate a few buildings. These buildings were found at the edge of the Nala.” The properties belonging to EAPL Sri Tirumala Splendor, Ansal Forte, and an individual named Vivan, among others, have been held responsible. All these properties are located near Silk Board junction and close to the Madiwala Lake.
1 SC Karigowda – town planning member (retired), BDA
2 GJ Nayak – town planning member (retired), BDA
3 D Satyanarayana – Engineer member (retired), BDA
4 MN Shankar Bhat – lawofficer, BDA (retired)
5 Guruprasad – BBMP assistant engineer
6 Shashidhar – BBMP assistant executive engineer
7 BT Mohan Krishna – then deputy director, town planning (south)
8 Govindraju – then joint director (south), now chief engineer (west)
9 Chowde Gowda – additional director, town planning (retired)
10 K Veerandranath – retired additional director, BBMP town planning
11 Mohammad Abdulla Azeem – asst exec engineer
12 G Gurumurthy – assistant exec engineer, town planning
13 Vijaykumar D Patil – assistant director, town planning
14 DS Sarvotham Raju – assistant executive engineer
15 S Mrithyunjaya – assistant engineer
16 T Nataraj – joint director, town planning (north)
17 Sunita – assistant engineer
18 Gangappa- assistant executive engineer
19 Liakath – assistant executive engineer, town planning
20 Munikrishna, BBMP chief engineer (retired)
ACTION-
K Veerandranath – additional director, BBMP town planning (retired)
Mohammad Abdulla Azeem – asst exec engineer
G Gurumurthy – asst exec engineer, town planning
ALLEGATIONS
All three officials during their tenure allowed KJ Vivan, owner of the survey No 10/3, to construct an apartment by violating the village map. The said survey falls under Nyanappanahalli village of Begur Hobli near Bannerghatta Road. These officials did not pay attention to the buffer zone of the storm water drain and sanctioned the plan.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
Veerandranath, who’s retired, faces action under Section 214 of KCSR 1957 rules as also a criminal case. The BBMP commissioner has been empowered to file the criminal case.
Azeem and Gurumurthy, both from public works departments who were working at the BBMP on deputation, have been suspended and a departmental inquiry has been ordered.
Guruprasad – BBMP assistant engineer
Shashidhar – BBMP assistant executive engineer
BT Mohan Krishna – then deputy director, town planning (south)
Govindraju – then joint director (south), now chief engineer (west)
Chowde Gowda – additional director, town planning (retired)
ALLEGATIONS
These officials did not keep in mind the buffer zone while allowing the construction of EAPL (Thirumala’s Splendour) apartment on Hosur Road. They sanctioned the plan for the builder.
ACTION
Chowde Gowda, who is retired, faces criminal prosecution.
A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against the other four. They have been suspended to avoid tampering with evidence and a criminal case will also be filed.
Sunita – assistant engineer
Gangappa- assistant executive engineer
Liakath – assistant executive engineer, town planning
Munikrishna, BBMP chief engineer (retired)
Allegations
All these officials had also ignored the buffer zone rule and sanctioned the plans for a few residential properties in Shubh Enclave near Kasavanahalli village. It is alleged that they violated the buffer zone between two lakes – Kasavanahalli and Kaikondanahalli lakes.
Action
Criminal cases against all of them and also a departmental inquiry against Munikrishana, who is retired.
S Mrithyunjaya – assistant engineer
T Nataraj – joint director, town planning (north)
Allegations
These officials allowed a developer to construct apartments at Khata No 3604/50/1, 50/2, 52/1, 58, 59/1 and 61/1A,
disregarding the rule on buffer zone. This led to the blocking of the storm water drain.
Action
Mrithyunjaya was at the BBMP on deputation from the PWD. A departmental inquiry has been ordered against all three
including Natraj and commissioner has been asked to filed criminal case.
SC Karigowda – town planning member (retired), BDA
GJ Nayak – town planning member (retired), BDA
D Satyanarayana – Engineer member (retired), BDA
MN Shankar Bhat – lawofficer, BDA (retired)
Allegations
These officials had given approval for the construction of Ansal Forte property in 1995. Later, in 1998 the plan was
modified an approval was given. In 2003, the BDA also issued the occupancy certificate. Despite the storm water drain nearby, these allowed the construction of the building.
Action
All four officers are retired and the BBMP commissioner has been asked to file a criminal case against them.
Vijaykumar D Patil – assistant director, town planning
DS Sarvotham Raju – assistant executive engineer
Allegations
Both the officers had sanctioned the plan for D Lakkanna and D Shant without checking the buffer zone.
Action
Both of them were working at the BBMP on deputation and are now kept under suspension. The commissioner has been asked to file a criminal case against them.