Siddarth Sethia
> Decision taken to provide alternative houses within a 7 km radius of Kogilu.
> Strict action against Revenue Department and Municipal officials if government land is encroached upon in the future – CM’s warning.
> New houses to be allotted to those who lost sheds on January 1, New Year’s Day.
*Other Key Points from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Press Conference.
On December 20,about 167 sheds that had been illegally constructed on government land in Kogilu settlement were cleared.
Notices had been issued to all occupants,clearly informing them that the land belonged to the government and that they had to vacate it.Despite this, they did not vacate.
Yesterday,I deputed Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and my Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed to visit the spot.Today,Deputy Chief Minister D.K.Shivakumar also visited the site along with officials,he said.
The Deputy Commissioner had handed over 15 acres of land to the City Corporation for waste disposal purposes.A stone quarry also exists there.
The Corporation has been dumping waste there and the land is under its possession.Since illegal sheds had come up and people had been living there from around 2020–21,I have directed that action be taken against the Revenue Department and Municipal officials concerned.
Such encroachments are not possible without the knowledge of the Tahsildar and Shirastedar.To ensure that such incidents do not recur,we will initiate action against those found guilty, he warned.
I have issued strict instructions to all concerned officials to ensure that no encroachment of government land takes place under any circumstances in the future.
If houses are constructed illegally,the concerned officials themselves will be held responsible.I have directed the Deputy Commissioner and municipal officials to identify eligible beneficiaries among those who were living in illegally constructed sheds and submit a list within the next two days.
On humanitarian grounds,the government has decided to provide alternative arrangements for eligible affected persons,he clarified.
Regarding this issue,K.C.Venugopal discussed the matter with me in Delhi and later with D.K.Shivakumar. I have assured him that alternative arrangements will be made for the affected people.
I had instructed the Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department to arrange food, accommodation, and temporary shelters.Though such arrangements were made at three locations,the residents did not move there.
After discussions with D.K.Shivakumar,Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, and local MLA Krishna Byre Gowda,a decision was taken regarding alternative housing.
At Survey No.23 in nearby Baiyappanahalli,there are about 1,087 houses.Once the list is received from officials,houses will be allotted to them in the multi-storey buildings at Baiyappanahalli.
This location is only 7 km from Kogilu.Each house costs approximately Rs.11.20 lakh, and these will be provided to the beneficiaries.
Subsidies from both the State and Central Governments are available for General Category and SC/ST beneficiaries.In addition,I have instructed the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to provide Rs.5 lakh per house.
°For General Category beneficiaries, the total subsidy amounts to ₹8.70 lakh.
°For SC/ST beneficiaries, it amounts to ₹9.50 lakh.
The remaining amount will be provided as a loan:
₹2.5 lakh loan for General Category beneficiaries.
₹1.70 lakh loan for SC/ST beneficiaries.
Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has agreed to ensure that the loans are provided after verification.
Verification will be conducted over the next two days. The responsibility of ensuring that these families are provided with houses for occupation on January 1,the first day of the New Year,has been entrusted to Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Although these individuals had illegally constructed houses, alternative housing is being provided purely on humanitarian grounds.We have constructed one lakh houses precisely to ensure shelter for the poor,he said.
Providing houses constructed by the government to those who illegally built homes will apply only to this specific case.I have instructed that strict action be taken against officials who allowed illegal shed construction.
If such illegalities occur again in the future,the concerned officials themselves will be held accountable, he reiterated with a stern warning.
