Mysuru: Over 25,000 people, who own houses and lands at Siddarthanagar, K.C. Nagar and J.C. Nagar, coming under Kurubarahalli Survey No.4 and Alanahalli Survey No.41, and who were facing legal hurdles in selling or transferring their properties or taking loans on the properties, can now breathe a sigh of relief as the State Cabinet has removed the controversial ‘B-Kharab’ classification. Khatas will be issued to property owners in a couple of days as all the hurdles have been cleared, said Krishnaraja MLA M.K. Somashekar.

He was addressing a press conference at a park in front of JSS High School near Lalitha Mahal Gate this morning. Over 50 residents of the above said Layouts were present along with him.

“The Cabinet has taken a decision to remove the ‘B-Kharab’ classification and Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has signed the order. With this, all disputes regarding the land have come to an end. Henceforth, Khatas will be issued and the residents can deal with their properties as per their wish,” he said.

When asked about the pending cases in the Courts regarding the Layouts, he said that the Cabinet decision was supreme and the State decision will be informed to the Courts. The Cabinet has dropped the ‘B-Kharab’ classification for 205.09 acres at Siddarthanagar, 105 acres at K.C. Nagar and 44.02 acres at J.C. Nagar. In all, the classification has been dropped from 354.11 acres of land, he added.

Claiming credit to the Cabinet decision, the MLA said that it was his efforts and government support and support from Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) that made the Cabinet to take this decision. “I had promised the residents that I will get this issue resolved and I have done it and I thank CM Siddharamaiah for the same,” he said.

The lands had been purchased by over 25,000 people from City Improvemrnt Trust Board (CITB) now MUDA in 1970s. However, they are yet to get land records, in spite of them being legal owners. Hence, everything had come to a standstill as they are neither able to sell their houses nor build extra floors for the past three years. Now the Cabinet decision has come as a relief, the MLA said.

“A Minister in the BJP government during 2008 to 2013, who is from Mysuru, had influenced the then Mysuru Deputy Commissioner to convert ‘B Kharab’ land to ‘A Kharab’ land. The same land was later classified as ‘B-Kharab’ land,” he alleged.

“Residents need not have any fear, doubt or apprehension that as elections are approaching they may not able to sell or transfer the land due to Code of Conduct. I want to assure them that the process of documentation (Khata) will begin in another two or three days,” Somashekar said.

INCOME TAX LAYOUT

When asked about the exclusion of Income Tax Layout from the ‘B Kharab’ classification as raised by B.P. Manjunath, BJP National Council Member and Convener, Survey No. 4 Hitharakshana Samithi, the MLA said that in their proposal to the government, they had included Income Tax Layout along with Siddarthanagar, K.C. Nagar and J.C. Nagar.

“We had included all the layouts and we need to see the records. If the Income Tax Layout has been left out, we will follow the model of how the Cabinet has removed ‘B Kharab’ classification and request the CM to apply the same yardstick to Income Tax Layout also,” he said.