By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: In yet another case of irregularities in MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority), MUDA officials are accused of connivance in the illegal Khata transfer of 2.28 acres of prime land in Vijayanagar third stage of the city.

The Government had issued a notification for acquisition of 2.28 acres of land (near the present Basavaraj Circle) including 0.9 acre of land in Hinkal Survey No. 292/3 and 1.38 acre of land in Hinkal Survey No.293 for formation of Vijayanagar third stage Layout. But later on, it was discovered that by creation of fake records, the land was entered in the records as not acquired and also the Khata of the said land had been transferred in the name of some private persons, allegedly in connivance with MUDA officials.

Previous MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh after coming to know of this illegal Khata transfer and the issuance of an NOC (No Objection Certificate), wrote a letter to Mysuru Tahsildar on Apr. 29, 2022, seeking immediate cancellation of the entries made in the 9th column of the RTC pertaining to the said land and to notify the land in the name of MUDA. Apart from this, Dr. Natesh also directed the officials to write to the Deputy Commissioner seeking disciplinary action against errant officials and staff and also to reclaim the land after demolishing the unauthorised structures that had come up on the land.

Details

 The Government on June 25, 1981, issued the primary notification for acquisition of total of 2.28 acres of land coming under Hinkal survey numbers 292/3 and 293, following which the final notification was issued on Mar. 31, 1984.

Later, the then Deputy Commissioner on Sept. 25, 1985, declared that 1.38 acre of land coming under Hinkal Survey No. 293 was an additional land under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act.

Questioning the Government’s land acquisition process, the land owners filed a writ petition in the High Court, which was dismissed by the HC on Jan. 7, 2009. Later on, the then MUDA Commissioner on Mar. 23, 2011, ordered razing down of unauthorised structures built on the said land, when it was discovered that the then Land Acquisition Officer had issued an NOC mentioning that 0.9 acre of land in Hinkal Survey No. 292/3 and 1.38 acre of land in Hinkal Survey No. 293 had not been acquired. After the NOC was issued, the land was notified in the name of MUDA (MR-63/2006-07) and as per an order of the Court of the Assistant Commissioner, the Khata was jointly registered in the name of land owners Basavaiah, Basavaraju and others on   Sept. 23, 2019.

But as per the norms of land acquisition, the owners only have the right to get compensation. But here, despite knowing the fact that the said land was not de-notified, the officials have created confusion by illegally doing the Khata transfer in the name of private persons, following which Dr. D.B. Natesh directed that the said land be reclaimed by MUDA authorities.

Subsequently, Dr. Natesh on May 2 ordered that the land be reclaimed by razing down of structures built on the land. But the officials, under the pretext that the day (May 2) was a Government holiday, did not carry out any drive for reclamation of the land.

Now with the transfer of Dr. Natesh, the MUDA officials seem to have forgotten the issue, which has only emboldened the land mafia to create more fake documents for grabbing Government lands, allegedly in connivance with the authorities.

Reacting to the alleged inaction of MUDA authorities, new MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar said that an operation will be launched next week to reclaim 2.28 acres of land coming under the two Hinkal   survey numbers. Pointing out that the previous Commissioner had already issued a reminder in this regard, Dinesh Kumar said that all unauthorised structures will be cleared  for reclaiming the land. Asserting that safeguarding Government lands in its jurisdiction is the main responsibility of MUDA, he reiterated that action will be taken in this regard.