BBMP submits timeline for removal of encroachments from SWDs and lakes

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) filed two compliance reports before the High Court of Karnataka on Monday, addressing the issue of removing encroachments from the city's Storm Water Drains (SWDs) and lakes.

Regarding lake encroachments, the BBMP's compliance affidavit stated that they have formulated a Weekly Action Plan, targeting 10 lakes per week for clearance from encroachments.

They claim to have already freed 24 out of the 202 lakes within BBMP's jurisdiction, with 19 of them being "disused lakes."

To address lake encroachments, the BBMP has established a timetable, wherein a complaint must be filed with the Designated Authority within seven days of receiving information about an encroachment.

The Tahsildar is then requested to conduct a survey within the next seven days, followed by a joint survey within seven more days. An eviction notice will be issued within 15 days, with a 30-day period for filing an appeal.

After this limitation period, encroachment removal/demolition will take place. The High Court modified this timeline, suggesting that the initial exercise can be completed within three days and the subsequent steps within seven days.

They proposed this modification to expedite the process, reducing the total timeline from 76 days to an average of 70 days, which the BBMP agreed to.

The second compliance report outlined a 172-day process for removing encroachments from SWDs. It included steps like identifying encroachments, filing complaints, conducting surveys, issuing notices, and removal of encroachments.

The High Court reduced the timeline for identifying fresh encroachments from 20 to 10 days, citing vacancies and challenges faced by the Executive Engineer.

The High Court also ordered the state government to fill the 50% vacancies in the office of the Executive Engineer expeditiously. The compliance affidavits by the BBMP contain an action plan developed in coordination with stakeholders following an order of the High Court in a public interest litigation on August 1.

The plan involves appointing officers responsible for reporting, executing, and filing complaints related to encroachments and evictions of lakes and primary/ secondary drains.

The Executive Engineer of a division would be the complaining authority, while the jurisdictional Tahsildar is specified to receive complaints, conduct inquiries, and issue necessary orders.

The Zonal Executive Engineer would be responsible for encroachment removal after an order by the Tahsildar, and the Tahsildar is also tasked with filing complaints before the Land Grabbing Prohibition Courts.

The BBMP has 655 streams with a total length of 859.79 kilometers of SWDs, which are considered government property under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.