BBMP to Karnataka HC: Bengaluru has 980 illegal buildings.

Source – newindianexpress.com

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Monday informed the Karnataka High Court that there were 980 illegal constructions in all its eight zones.The BBMP counsel submitted a statement to that effect before a division bench of Chief

Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur, in response to a suo motu PIL registered by the court after finding that the state government and BBMP had failed to take action against illegal buildings.

The BBMP said that immediately after the order dated September 19, 2019, was passed by the court, a survey was ordered to ascertain the number of illegal constructions in the city. The survey identified 980
illegal constructions in the city, it said.

It also stated that though it has adequate staffers and infrastructure for demolition of illegal constructions, the civic body appears to be lagging behind in the task. This was due to the entrustment of various other works such as clearance and transportation of garbage to its destination by the engineering section, apart from ward works such as asphalting, white topping, drainage etc, the BBMP said.  

“Experts in demolition of buildings are not on the rolls of BBMP. The BBMP is required to depend on a private agency for demolishing illegal structures,” it said.

Shortage of Law Officers
The BBMP also said that it has only a few law officers and it has approached the government for creation of additional posts. The cadre strength of Junior Law Officers is 16. As of now, only three Junior Law Officers are working, it said.

Punishment to be prescribed
The BBMP said that punishment was yet to be prescribed under Section 321-B on jurisdictional officers who were found to have failed to prevent unauthorised deviation or construction in his/her jurisdictions.

Total 1,129 cases are pending
According to the BBMP, consequent to the order of confirmation against unauthorised buildings, the aggrieved parties filed cases before the city civil court. As of now, 536 original suits are pending in the city civil court, 509 appeals pending before the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal and 84 writ petitions pending before the High Court.