Amidst the euphoria around the victory of AAP in Delhi, there was another major happening closer to home..LDA which was called toothless all this while when it came to preventing encroachments was empowered with statutory powers!
Prosecution powers
The Karnataka Lake Development Authority will have powers to prosecute those who pollute or encroach upon lakes. The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Bill, 2014, which was passed in the legislative assembly on Monday, empowers the authority to seize vehicles and machinery, confiscate property, and remove encroachments (including crops, trees and buildings). Designated officers can arrest offenders without a warrant. Violations of certain provisions will attract imprisonment (three to five years) and a fine (Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000).
more here
This is a landmark decission by the state govt. Its really pathetic of the opposition including BJP and JDS to be talking against the decission to give LDA authority!
It now remains to be seen if we can also get a Bedi or Manivannan type of empowered officer to lead LDA now. One who can do the enforcement really effectively, in a way that the real estate mafia gets snubbed real bad. Would love to see builders, including the big ones, pay the price and get scarred permanently. So that they wont repeat mistakes around encroachments..
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Comments
First thing let LDA put fence on all Lakes
Its discussion r going on for last 10 years, why BBMP, BDA and LDA falied to put fence in all lakes arround Bangalore on Actual Lake Sruveys and declare in their site how much has been encroached to public with names of Builders and People who have encroached ???
Without any actions, just telling like police, if we receive complaint, we will take action ???
Let LDA publih all lakes of Bangalore with Survey Numbers, actual extent of Lake area, how much is been encroached, has BWSSB letting sweage water inot lakes without treatment ???
lakes encroached as we speak
Yes Sanjeev, fencing is the first thing to do and the next is to identify the canals(Rajakaluve) that feed these lakes and this has to start from one of the oldest and biggest lakes in Blr, Bellanduru Lake.
Bellanduru lake is being filled up by rouge builders everyday, especially around the canal linking Varthur and Bellanduru lake. This encroachment includes some of the very big names in real estate of this city.
This is surely being done in connivance with govt authorities..and all need to be booked..
All this needs to be done asap!