Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter LOKASEVA HOUSING Co-op SOCIETY-Scam-3 Yelahanka Layout: two hoots for the law of the land

Firoz.T.Totanawala 

 The Bangalore Metro Reporter 

 LOKASEVA HOUSING CO-OP SOCIETY-Scam-3 

 Yelahanka Layout: two hoots for the law of the land The Yelahanka Layout formed by the Lokaseva Housing Co-op. Society at Kogilu makes one wonder whether the law of the land is applicable to the above mentioned society. The Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society is headed by M.N Gururaj, alias M N Gururaja Rao, the Assistant Secretary of KPSC who is functioning as the Secretary to the society since its inception. 

The society or rather M. N. Gururaj has been collecting sital deposits from the members (?) since 2004 by stating that the layout works were progressing. However, the BDA in its latest information has categorically revealed that it has not approved the layout of the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society. Then, how can one begin layout works without the sanction from the BDA? Is the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society or M. N. Gururaj above the law? 

 In our last two issues, we exposed how M. N. Gururaj, the Secretary of the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society, who also functions as Assistant Secretary in KPSC as M.N Gururaj Rao had played fraud in the Nagadevanahalli Layout. We have also exposed how M. N. Gururaj sold sites in areas reserved for CA sites and about his futile attempts at browbeating the BDA to get more sital areas. Interestingly, the sites were allotted to the employee members of the KPSC through draw of lots. This is the boasting of M. N. Gururaj to claim transparency in the allotment. 

 But the hard fact is different. Even though the society was limited to the employees of the KPSC, Gururaj has allotted more than 50 sites to the outsiders by treating them as members. The layout formed in an extent of 12 acres, was suffice to cater to the needs of the 192 employees of KPSC. In fact, out of this, only 165 were eligible as they had paid sital deposits. However, M. N. Gururaj has registered more than 200 sites. 

 We had taken a sample of around 87 registered deeds and shockingly found more than 30 names of outsiders that are those, who are not employees of KPSC. Why go far, M. N. Gururaj’s brother M. N. Nagaraja Rao, an employee in PSIT was also given a site bearing No. 149 which was registered on 06-10-2010. Gururaj who has built a three storied building near Kumaraswamy Layout has also allotted a site to himself as well. Besides, his another brother too was given a site. 

 Of course, the BDA released 192 sites to the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society. As per the rule, the Society has to submit the seniority list of members duly certified by the registrar of Co-op Societies. But who cares? M. N. Gururaj, who has grown bigger than the law because of his reach and clout, definitely did not care. Besides, even the BDA did not insist on the lawful procedure. 

 Forget about this. The Yelahanka Layout at Kogilu by M. N. Gururaj stands as the shining example for his contempt towards the law of the land. The Nagadevanahalli Layout was sufficient to cater to the needs of the less than 200 employees of KPSC. But Gururaj continued to form layouts so that he can do the real estate business. 

 The latest layout undertaken by him is in Kogilu village near Yelahanka. For the last seven years, he is busy in this layout. In fact, he has sent letters to companies and factories offering sites to their employees. This is a direct violation of the co-operative spirit. How can a Co-op Society, formed to cater to the housing needs of the KPSC employees, advertises sale (allotment) of sites to outsiders and that too by forming new layouts? It is sheer rubbish. But who cares? 

 In the Yelahanka Layout (Kogilu) abetting the Arkavathi Layout, Gururaj has forming hundreds of sites in three stages. He is collecting sital deposits to the tune of crores from members and non members promising them the allotment. In fact, in 2005 itself, Gururaj had sent a circular to the purchasers to pay up sital deposits ranging from Rs. 40,000 to 1,00,000 depending on the size of the sites as second installments from the aspirants. 

 But the most astonishing aspect of this 2005 circular, mind it 2005 year, is that Gururaj has stated that civil works of the layout were progressing. This means that the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society had started the civil works of the layout by 2005 itself and the rule is that the society can start the civil works of the layout only after the BDA approves the layout plan. 

 What does the BDA have to say in this regard? As per the information obtained under RTI, the Town Planning Member in BDA states that the BDA has not sanctioned any layout plan in Kogilu in favour of the Lokaseva Housing Co-op Society. This simply means that Gururaj has taken the members (?) for a ride by stating that the layout works are progressing and that too in the year 2005! 

 The law of the land stipulates that the society should get the lands acquired on its behalf by the Land Acquisition Officer which is a long drawn process. Before the land acquisition, the society has to identify the lands, send proposal/request to the land acquisition officer explaining the need for the lands along with the information about the number of members who need the land and with supervision and other charges. Finally, the BDA gives sanction after the society hands over the areas meant for CAs. 

 Only after these formalities are over, the society can take up the civil works under the supervision of the BDA engineers who have to see that the society adheres to the sanctioned plan. Once the works are completed, the BDA then releases the sites to the society, in the name of the members. For this purpose, the society has to submit the seniority list of the members duly certified by the Registrar of Co-op Societies. The society can start registration of sites in favour of the allottees thereafter only. 

 This is the rule. On the face of it, Gururaj in the year 2005 itself said that the layout works were progressing. This implies that the BDA had sanctioned the layout plan then. Otherwise there is no question of civil works being undertaken by the society. And the Town Planning Member in BDA says that BDA has not sanctioned any layout plan in favour of the society at Kogilu. 

 What does all this mean? 

 Any Comments???