Court case pending, yet KRIDL pushes storm-water drain near Kudure Mala on Bogadi Road

Mysuru: The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has objected to the ongoing works on constructing a storm-water drain right through the Poornaiah Canal, expressing apprehension over the possibilities of reducing the size of the historic Canal. The Poornaiah Canal is one of the main water inlets of the Kukkarahalli Lake. MGP Convener Bhanu Prashanth, Members Nataraj and Vishwanath, journalist G.M. Mahadev and officials inspected the storm-water drain works near Kudure Mala on Bogadi Road yesterday.

Issue pending in Court

The MGP activists termed the works as illegal, as the hearing over the encroachment of Poornaiah Canal, at Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Special Courts in Bengaluru, was slated for June 11. The storm-water drain works should be suspended immediately, they demanded.

Journalist Mahadev said, “I have filed a petition in the Court (LGC 237/ 2024 and 238/ 2024), but even after one year of moving the Court, the officials are delaying in submitting a report sought by the Court. Though a report was submitted by the officials earlier, the Court rejected it, asking them to submit a detailed report including the names of encroachers and the extent of encroachment.”

MGP Member Nataraj said, “This particular spot near Kudure Mala is the end point of Poornaiah Canal, which is 23 km long. Three concrete divisions have been made with about 200-ft. width to facilitate the flow of Canal water through the bridge built on Bogadi Road. Now, with the storm-water drain being constructed in the centre of the Canal, it is nothing but a waste of taxpayers’ money. While there is no objection to using a small portion of the land as a graveyard, the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) is constructing the drain, spending Rs. 50 lakh, which amounts to altering the course of the Canal.” 

Government is at fault

Strangely, a Government entity itself is at fault when they have no provision to take up the works on its own. As per the rules, KRIDL has to award the contract, but who permitted it to take up the works on Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) land? Nobody has definite answers, but they readily pass the buck to the Social Welfare Department for issuing the permission, said Nataraj, questioning the rationale behind the argument.

On March 25, 2025, the Deputy Commissioner chaired a meeting related to the encroachment of Poornaiah Canal and constituted five different teams comprising officials from various Departments to survey the lands to assess the extent of encroachment and collect the records.

When this is the reality, KRIDL has been claiming that the permission has been given for the works, which leads to another question: How was the permission given, when the Court is still hearing the case?

As many as 46 acres of Government land available among the kharab land of Poornaiah Canal area and Canal network, has been encroached upon.  

The ongoing works on storm water drain will reduce the existing size of the Canal, said Nataraj.

‘Will bring to notice of Social Welfare Department’

The objections related to storm-water drain works will be brought to the notice of the Social Welfare Department tomorrow (June 9). The works have been taken up by the Social Welfare Department at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 lakh under the Special Component Plan (SCP) in connection with the development of the burial ground near Kudure Mala.

— Vivek, Assistant Engineer, KRIDL

Development works of a burial ground

50 years ago, there existed a burial ground in Saraswathipuram exclusively meant for Kukkarahalli residents. Following the acquisition of the burial ground by the Government, the Poornaiah Canal’s embankment area was allotted as an alternative land. MCC has also provided basic infrastructural facilities. Following the stagnation of rainwater, Kukkarahalli residents submitted a memorandum, following which the works have been taken up to build a storm-water drain. We have no objection if alternative land is allotted for the same.

— M. Andani, retired BEO, President of Jai Bheem Welfare Association and Kukkarahalli resident