Bengaluru: Bike-borne goons roaming around an area, tracking addresses and threatening those who come their way might seem like a scene straight out of movies. But for a lake activist in Begur, this nightmare has come true and he is living in fear, trying to escape from these goons.
The activist, Kumar (name changed), has learnt the hard way that fighting against lake encroachments and violations can be costly in Bengaluru.
Kumar has been running from one agency to another trying to save the dying Basapura Lake.
Though the BBMP is reviving the bigger Basapura Lake, the smaller lake is being used as a link road to connect the Basapura graveyard. Kumar, who started his fight against the violation in 2013, learnt it could be dangerous only when the illegal road was demolished last week.
Deccan Chronicle recently carried a report on illegal encroachments and violations in the lake buffer zone, following which Lake Development Authority (LDA) officials demolished the illegal road. Now, the local landlords and villagers are searching for Kumar for bringing the matter to the notice of the media.
A worried Kumar said, “Around 5-6 men on bikes confronted the security guard of my apartment and told him they were aware who was behind the demolition of the road. They threatened to harm me and cause damage if the matter is pursued further. They said that Begur ward corporator Anjanappa M. too is supporting them”
Mr Anjanappa said that the demolition of the road has created a furore among local residents, who are upset that the link road to the only graveyard in the locality has now been demolished.
“I do not have any followers or supporters who will visit houses and threaten them. I am aware that some Basapura village residents are very upset after LDA officials demolished the road. If needed, I will go to the police station with the lake activist. I just want to say that I am not involved,” Mr Anjanappa maintained.
Violations galore in the lake
Following heavy rains last month, many areas in the vicinity of the two Basapura lakes flooded because of encroachments in the water bodies. Local residents allege that not only are the lakes fully contaminated, but the inlet points too are choked.
“The contamination is so high that plastic and sewage flowed from the lake to the road. The lakes stink during rainy season and it’s impossible to walk around the lake area. Though the bigger lake is now being rejuvenated, it’s unfortunate that a beautiful lake is dying due to the apathy of the officials,” the locals said.
BBMP to digitise revenue documents, building plans
In order to be equipped with all building and layout plans, the BBMP has floated tenders for digitising building plans and layout plans. The BBMP had a tough time fishing out data and documents about the encroachment of drains and government properties as the data was not digitized.
Although the BBMP does not issue building plans, the civic body has layout plans that have been transferred from the BDA, said sources in the BBMP. Ever since the BBMP was formed, its maintenance of files and documents has left a lot to be desired.
Even documents stored in store rooms are not maintained properly. Repeated reminders and meetings with the BBMP commissioner, Mayor and chairmen of various standing committees, have failed to change the situation.
However, after persistent demands from civic experts and activists, only the BBMP properties were digitized, said sources. The BBMP has taken up the task of digitizing the revenue documents across the BBMP jurisdiction.
A tender have been floated to scan and digitize the documents. Additionally, a document management system will be introduced. The documents available with the BBMP run into over 4.5 lakh pages. This data includes building plans all over the BBMP, Record of Tenancy and Crop (RTC), khata, advertisement and BBMP properties.
About 20% documents soiled: The tender floated by the BBMP revenue department has clearly specified that about 20 per cent of the documents have been soiled. Words on the documents have faded away. These documents need to be carefully scanned and digitised.
