Private layout in a cemetery worth `100 cr next to Kempegowda Layout!

Bengaluru: The Tahsildar himself has signed a non-requirement letter for the 4-acre cemetery land worth Rs 100 crore in Sulikere village in Dakshina taluk, adjacent to the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, which will be one of the prestigious layouts in Bangalore, to facilitate the construction of a road for the person constructing the private layout.

Every village must have cemetery land. The land allocated by the government for the cemetery will not be given away for any other purpose for any reason. Similarly, 15 years ago, a letter was written to the Revenue Department by the Bangalore Development Authority to give 4 acres of land in Sulikere village for the construction of Kempegowda Layout. However, the then Bangalore City Deputy Commissioner did not give up the cemetery land for the construction of the BDA layout. In addition, he had also issued an order to maintain the cemetery land properly. However, now all the officials from the village accountant to the tahsildar have agreed to build a large road on this cemetery land to facilitate the construction of a private settlement.

In this regard, former BJP president of Bengaluru South district NR Ramesh has submitted a petition along with documents to the DC Jagadish to protect the cemetery land. In this petition, he has demanded strict action against the corrupt government officials and employees who have submitted a note to hand over government property worth more than Rs 100 crores ‘set aside for a cemetery’ to an influential person’s private settlement.

The Bangalore Development Authority has reserved four acres of government Gomal land in Survey No. 77 (Old Survey No. 8) of Sulikere village, Kengeri Hobli, Bangalore South Taluk, adjoining the newly constructed ‘Kempegowda Layout’ for the purpose of ‘Rudrabhoomi’ of Sulikere village. The reservation was made in 2010 as per the order of the Special Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore Urban District (Order No. – LND (SLR) – 625/2008-09/dt: 12 January 2010). The Bangalore Development Authority had requested the Bangalore Development Authority to release the 4 acres of property thus reserved for cemetery for the expansion of Kempegowda Layout.

But the district administration has replied that there is no legal provision to transfer the property reserved for “Rudra Bhoomi” for other purposes.

After this, the State Revenue Department has ordered on 7 January 2022 to hand over the said 4-acre cemetery land to the ‘Sulikere Gram Panchayat’.

A private estate is being built on a 120-acre land near the ‘Kempegowda Layout’ of the Bangalore Development Authority, and this estate site can be sold at Rs 6,000 per sq ft. However, if a 24-meter-wide road (80 feet) is built on the 4-acre cemetery land in Sulikere village, which is between Kempegowda Layout and the private estate, then this private estate site will cost Rs 10,000 per sq ft. Therefore, the Tashildar has sent approval by submitting a note to issue a ‘No Objection Letter’ (NOC) to construct a private settlement road on the ‘Rudrabhoomi’ land of Sulikere village with the lure of money, including all the subordinate officers, including the Deputy Tahsildar of Bangalore South Taluk.

Even though there is no legal permission to use the ‘cemetery land’ for other purposes and even though the State Revenue Department had given it to the ‘Sulikere Gram Panchayat’ on 7 January 2022 - an ‘illegal note’ has been submitted to give away the government cemetery land worth more than Rs 100 crore to a private settlement. He has appealed to the District Collector to take immediate action in this regard. In addition, BJP leader NR Ramesh said that he has also filed a complaint with the Lokayukta investigation agency.