Minister directs officials to clear 809 acres of lake encroachments in Bengaluru South dist
In Short
Eshwar Khandre holds review meeting with Bengaluru South ZP CEO in his car
Share :
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B Khandre
Ramanagara: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B Khandre made effective use of his travel time by holding a review meeting with Bengaluru South Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Anmol Jain inside his car, discussing various issues concerning rural areas of the district.
While travelling to attend the Mysuru district review meeting, Khandre picked up Jain at the Bengaluru district border. The two discussed matters related to the Zilla Panchayat, taluk panchayats and gram panchayats until the minister reached the end of the district boundary.
The minister directed officials to expedite the distribution of e-Swathu certificates for properties within gramathana limits, including those with and without existing records. He asked Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) to visit the properties as soon as applications are received, conduct inspections, provide an opportunity for objections and issue certificates without delay.
Warning of strict action against any PDO or staff member demanding money from the public during the e-Swathu campaign, Khandre directed officials to create widespread awareness about the initiative in all villages, including through traditional public announcements using drums.
Bengaluru South district has 1,292 lakes under gram panchayat limits. Of these, 1,014 acres across 801 lakes had been encroached upon. So far, encroachments covering 205 acres across 72 lakes have been cleared, leaving 809 acres across 729 lakes yet to be reclaimed.
Khandre directed officials to take immediate steps to clear the remaining encroachments, protect the lakes, restore water storage and improve groundwater levels. Where houses have been constructed on encroached lake land, officials should survey and clear the encroachments excluding the residential structures. He also called for removing obstructions in stormwater drains and restoring their flow.
Under VBG RAM G, he asked officials to convene gram sabhas and identify eligible beneficiaries for individual works such as cattle sheds, sheep and goat sheds, borewell recharge pits and farm ponds.
The Zilla Panchayat CEO was directed to visit at least four villages on two days every week, listen to public grievances concerning roads, drinking water, streetlights, e-Swathu, building plan approvals, sanitation, lake development and VBG RAM G works, and ensure on-the-spot solutions wherever possible.
Anticipating a severe water shortage next summer, the minister called for water budgeting, identification of villages likely to face shortages and advance preventive measures, including mapping available water sources. He also directed officials to arrange tanker water supply wherever necessary and ensure timely payment of tanker rental charges.
Khandre further instructed officials to ensure that wages of unskilled workers employed under VBG RAM G are paid within 15 days. Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers were asked to issue necessary directions and monitor timely wage disbursement.
