By Firoz.T.Totanawala
The Bangalore Metro Reporter
CARRYING ON THE LEGACY
THE NEW CM ALSO IN LAND SCAMS
The new Chief Minister of Karnataka is very much in the same shoes of his predecessor Yedurappa. Much before his election as the CM of the State, the ever smiling D. V. Sadananda Gowda is already in the storm over two land scams, one in Bangalore and the other in Mangalore.
THE BANGALORE CHAPTER
The BDA had allotted Sadananda Gowda, a residential plot measuring 5000 sq feet in the HSR layout of South Bangalore in 2006. The BDA also allotted another BJP MLA D.N. Jeevaraj the same size plot very next to Gowda's during the same year. Now Sadananda Gowda is constructing a commercial building after combining his plot with that of Jeevaraj’s plot without the consent of the Bangalore Development Authority.
The new CM had approached the BDA in 2009 requesting for amalgamation of the two plots, but his plea was rejected. In spite of that, Gowda decided to go ahead with his commercial plan for the two residential plots. According to his plan, the basement is earmarked for parking and there will be a shopping complex on the first floor. Sadananda Gowda now stands accused of violating land laws to build a swanky commercial complex in Bangalore.
THE MANGALORE CHAPTER
In the Mangalore chapter, it is Yedurappa again who features in main role. This time, the Yeddyurappa Government had granted 10.5 acres of reserve forest land near Sullia Mangalore to Udupi MP Sadanand Gowda’s trust violating forest laws.
While the reserve forest land was earlier denied be given to a State Power Corporation, for a community graveyard, and to the local Panchayat, it was immediately granted by the State Forest Department to Sadanand Gowda’s KS Gowda Education trust, needless to say on the insistence of Yeddyurappa.
The reserve forest land in question is of survey number 171-P7 near Sullia Taluka, Mangalore.
The following requests were made for acquiring the land by various organizations which were all rejected.
A Schedule Caste group, the Koraga Development Federation had approached the Government on 1st February, 2006, requesting for a grant of 20 acres in survey number 171-P7. It was denied by the forest department stating that the land sought is a reserve forest land and hence could not be granted.
Then, the local gram Panchayat on 2nd February, 2006 had demanded that the land be allotted to them. The forest department had replied them on 4 November 2007, saying that the land requested is of forest nature and hence could not be granted.
Next, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh had requested the Government on 23rd of August, 2008, for grant of the same land to a sub-power station. It was also denied on forest nature ground.
Then, a local Muslim community on 26th November, 2007, requested for 20 acres of the same land for a Muslim burial ground. The department replied them in denial stating the same Forest reserve land cause.
Now, interestingly, Sadananda Gowda, as honorary president of the KS Gowda Education Trust, wrote a letter to Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy on 10 July 2008, requesting for the same land. He requested the Minister to grant him 20 acres of the same land for the purpose of playground. He had stated that the trust run an educational institution with 300 children and it needed the 20 acres for the development of a sports complex.
Then, shockingly, part of this same land that was earlier denied to others was granted to Gowda’s trust on 31 August 2010.
It appears that Karnataka is set for a repeat of the political turbulence over land scams. The new CM has the same old story and absolutely befitting the predecessor’s shoes.
As a Chief Minister, how can one then expect him to act with integrity over the manipulations and scams that may be indulged in by others on various other posts? God save Karnataka!
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