Vacant Sites Without Homes for Five Years May Be Resumed, Says Karnataka CM at Bengaluru's 'Freedom from Waste' Campaign
Bengaluru, Aug. 1: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday announced that residential sites allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), City Corporations or cooperative housing societies may be resumed if owners fail to construct houses within five years of allotment.
Speaking after launching the ‘Freedom from Waste’ campaign at Hebbal Junction in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister said the government was considering recovering such vacant sites after refunding the amount paid by the owners along with applicable interest.
“Sites are allotted for the purpose of constructing houses. If people keep them vacant for 20, 30 or even 40 years without building homes, they become dumping grounds for garbage. If houses are not constructed within five years, either higher taxes will be imposed or the sites will be taken back,” he said.
Responding to a question from reporters, Shivakumar said there was no alternative but to resume such sites if they continued to remain vacant. He added that owners have a responsibility to safeguard their properties by constructing compound walls and preventing garbage dumping, irrespective of whether they themselves dump waste.
The Chief Minister said maintaining cleanliness is a shared responsibility and recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on sanitation. Referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he said cleanliness begins outside one’s own home and eventually contributes to a cleaner city and nation.
Emphasising that Bengaluru belongs to its citizens and not merely to the government, Shivakumar said the citywide campaign had been launched to improve civic cleanliness through public participation.
He directed the police to seize vehicles found illegally dumping solid waste without permission. He noted that despite earlier notices and CCTV surveillance, some operators had resumed illegal dumping and warned that strict enforcement would now follow.
The Chief Minister said the government would unveil additional initiatives related to increasing Bengaluru’s green cover as part of its upcoming 100-day programme.
Commenting on the recent assault on civic officials during an anti-encroachment drive on footpaths in Shivajinagar, Shivakumar said the attack should be viewed as an attack on the government, its ministers and legislators, and not merely on officials. He said the government had taken elected representatives from all political parties into confidence while implementing the campaign.
He also said street vendors would be provided with alternative locations for conducting business but stressed that they could not be allowed to obstruct pedestrian movement or vehicular traffic.
Describing the campaign as a model not only for Bengaluru but for the entire State, the Chief Minister urged MLAs to replicate similar cleanliness drives in their respective constituencies.
Inviting wider public participation, Shivakumar said non-governmental organisations, resident welfare associations and other voluntary groups could adopt roads or neighbourhoods to help maintain cleanliness. He said even taking responsibility for four or five roads would significantly contribute to keeping Bengaluru clean and called upon citizens to actively support the campaign.
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