Bengaluru: Lanchamukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike, which was pursuing a lake encroachment issue, has alleged that the city officials have used a fudged map to close the case.
Vedike President (Bangalore Urban) V.R. Marathe had raised the issue of encroachment of Annayappa Lake in Yelachenahalli ward in 2015 was pursuing it with the officers in Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force and BBMP.
However, much to his shock, the complaint was recently closed based on a sketch of the area provided by the town planning department, which Marathe alleged was of dubious authenticity.
"In the last three years, we have lodged multiple complaints with the BMTF regarding the lake buffer zone encroachment and the government road encroachment by a builder who is constructing his building on the south-west side of Annayappa Lake," Marathe said.
He further said that during his interactions with the officers of the BMTF and BBMP officials over the issue, he was sent back with an assurance that the notices were issued to the violators.," Marathe said.
He further said that during his interactions with the officers of BMTF and BBMP over the issue, he was assured that the notices have been issued to the violators.
The issue though dragged for three years and surprisingly it was closed a fortnight ago. Upon query, Marathe was told that it was done based on a sketch prepared by Town Planning officials.
"On our oral request, we were provided with the sketch that the department prepared. On verifying with the sketches available with us, we found substantial deviation and we had a doubt about its authenticity since it is suspected to be fabricated and fake. To verify it, we met survey officials and tahsildar office staff to compare those signatures, but we were orally told that none of the signatures match with theirs," he explained.
On September 17, the Vedike wrote a letter to the Joint Director of Land Records and Bangalore South Tahsildar for the report's authenticity and lodged a complaint with the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, ADGP, BMTF and to the Commissioner, BBMP to consider the matter with seriousness.
