With the Supreme Court deadline for the removal of unauthorised occupation of 23.5 acres of land in Vijayashripura Layout set to expire on June 15, the State government has decided to file an affidavit with the apex court seeking more time.
Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) chairman K.R. Mohan Kumar told The Hindu that the government, which will be filing an affidavit after the SC reopens on June 6, will also request the apex court to find a solution to the problem. “If the Supreme Court offers a solution, we will abide by it. Else, we will have no option but to demolish the structures,” he said.
The Supreme Court had, on December 16 last year, ordered clearing of the encroachment in the area in response to a petition filed by the late K.B. Ramachandra Raje Urs, son-in-law of the late Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar.
Following the SC order, MUDA carried out a survey and listed a total of 184 concrete houses, 72 houses with asbestos sheets for ceiling, four houses with Mangalore tiles, 65 vacant sites, besides two temples, on the land.
Meeting in Bengaluru
With the deadline fast approaching, MUDA recently wrote to the government for a solution. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday convened a meeting with Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake and other officials, including the advocate general and Mysuru district administration personnel.
“At the meeting, it was resolved that notices would be issued to the residents of the concrete houses before moving the Supreme Court seeking more time,” Mr. Mohan Kumar said.
The 23.5 acres of Vijashripura Layout is part of the 94.2 acres of land that the then City Improvement Trust Board had acquired in 1988 through a notification.
The Supreme Court has also ordered that compensation be paid to the rightful owner of the land, who will be decided by the Karnataka High Court which is hearing a separate writ appeal filed in 2008.
MUDA has one year to pay compensation to the owner as per the 2001 market rates, besides solatium and interest.
After clearing the encroachment, MUDA will be developing a layout in the area.
