The High Court on Friday directed the concerned BBMP executive engineers to be present on July 20 to submit when they will remove encroachments on Begur and Subramanyapura lakes.
A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe pulled up BBMP officials for not removing encroachments as per the direction in the last order dated June 2, 2022.
The bench asked the advocate representing the BBMP about the progress in the eviction drive as per the previous order.
The counsel stated that 3.39 acres on Subramanyapura Lake was encroached upon by slum dwellers and so the Slum Development Board is the competent authority to remove encroachments. As far as evicting private encroachers in both Subramanyapura and Begur lakes is concerned, the counsel submitted that the civic agency has written to the state government requesting for the appointment of tahsildars to identify the buildings.
“We had given six weeks to you on June 2, 2022. What are your duties as designated officers? Writing correspondence and sitting in offices does not mean that the action of removal of encroachment has been done. It is a matter of future generation,” the bench orally observed.
The designated officers of the BBMP (executive engineers) have been directed to be present and give an undertaking within what time they will clear 1.7 acres of encroachment on Subramanyapura Lake and 6.37 acres on Begur Lake.
The bench also said the encroachment with respect to 3.39 acres on Subramanyapura lake by slum dwellers will be dealt with separately.