Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jun 29: The state high court has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on three officers of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and a retired officer of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for cancelling the building plan of Girinagar branch of Ramachandrapur Math based in Hosanagara without valid reasons.
When hearing the complaint filed on behalf of the Math against unilateral cancellation of the plan of its Girinagar branch building here, a single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice Vineeth Kottary passed this order on Wednesday June 28.
Advocate for the Math argued that the Math has not encroached upon any public land as alleged, and that it had bought the site, duly adhering to legal provisions, and that the BBMP had even prepared documents relating to the site and building. "All of a sudden, BBMP cancelled, on January 6, 2016, permission granted to the building, alleging that the construction encroaches upon park. During the public interest litigation filed in this connection, BDA officer wrongly filed a report that the building was coming up on a public park. BDA commissioner had filed affidavit to the court about this fact," he stated.
The bench observed that BBMP was not in order in cancelling the plan and permission for the building merely based on a letter written by an officer, without properly verifying the documents relating to the site in possession of the petitioner. It observed that gross negligence on the part of officers was apparent in this case. It stayed operation of the order of BBMP that had withdrawn permission earlier granted for the building plan of the Math.
Holding them responsible for wrongly cancelling the building plan, the bench imposed fine of Rs 50,000 each on BBMP south zone town planning assistant director, Sayyed Mubasir Ahmed, chief engineer. H T Bette Gowda, joint director, A J Hemachandra, and a retired executive engineer of BDA. These officers have been asked to present themselves before the bench on July 14, which happens to be the next date of hearing, without fail.