2.6 Response Through Demolitions Spree of Encroached
Buildings on Lake Bed
Although demolitions were the only option left to reclaim lake beds, given the
contexts, it is also important to address the issue of prevention of such encroachments in the future. Besides, it is important to address the issues concerning citizens
who are victims in the process since their investments of life time would be changed
into rubble in the most unexpected way. The demolition was a resultant of a public
interest litigation filed by People’s Campaign for the Right to Water four years ago.
In August 2014, Karnataka High Court’s order on clearing the encroachments was
taken up after intimating the occupants. People were served multiple notices and
court order was given three times before commencing the drive. People are gullible
as the plots were purchased more than two decades ago, leaving them in anguish
and despair making them homeless instantly for no fault of theirs. People blame the
officials to have provided them sanctions of services—water, sewerage lines and
power, means, officials who cleared them were to be questioned as well. This calls
for the need for effective implementation of Urban Property Ownership Records
initiative execution effectively that ensures land ownership in the real sense.
Demolition drive in Bengaluru brought out several encroached buildings on tank
beds. The urban district administration has launched an operation, a 10 day
demolition drive in April 2015 to clear lake beds that are encroached to construct
illegal buildings, both housing and commercial. 200 buildings that included
schools, medical centres, houses were demolished, the one that occupied Sarakki
lake. Several buildings in Banaswadi on the lake bed and South Bengaluru on
Puttenahalli lake were demolished. Several surveys of the lake area had indicated
that 34 acres of the 84 acres of the lake area across three villages Sarakki,
Puttenahalli and Jaraganahalli was encroached by private layouts/commercial
establishments and estimated to cost around Rs. 2000 crores in the current open
market. Flats at Yamare village, Anekal Taluk built on Raja Kaluve (storm water
drain) were demolished as the builder had encroached 700 m of storm water drain
to construct a residential project of 140 flats, extending up to 2 acres, that valued
Rs. 12 crores. Encroached land in Iblur lake was also revived. Iblur lake was spread
across 18 acres and 6 guntas but had got reduced to 7 acres and 32 guntas.
3500 BDA plots also were to be taken over.
3 Mumbai Floods—That Sinking Feeling
Being a heavily populated coastal city, Mumbai is highly vulnerable to the impacts
of climate change. Extreme weather events, flooding, sea level rise, missing winter,
urban heat island effect, some of these effects have already started to show
Lack of Environmental Planning Exacerbating Climate Change Risks …
459
Buildings on Lake Bed
Although demolitions were the only option left to reclaim lake beds, given the
contexts, it is also important to address the issue of prevention of such encroachments in the future. Besides, it is important to address the issues concerning citizens
who are victims in the process since their investments of life time would be changed
into rubble in the most unexpected way. The demolition was a resultant of a public
interest litigation filed by People’s Campaign for the Right to Water four years ago.
In August 2014, Karnataka High Court’s order on clearing the encroachments was
taken up after intimating the occupants. People were served multiple notices and
court order was given three times before commencing the drive. People are gullible
as the plots were purchased more than two decades ago, leaving them in anguish
and despair making them homeless instantly for no fault of theirs. People blame the
officials to have provided them sanctions of services—water, sewerage lines and
power, means, officials who cleared them were to be questioned as well. This calls
for the need for effective implementation of Urban Property Ownership Records
initiative execution effectively that ensures land ownership in the real sense.
Demolition drive in Bengaluru brought out several encroached buildings on tank
beds. The urban district administration has launched an operation, a 10 day
demolition drive in April 2015 to clear lake beds that are encroached to construct
illegal buildings, both housing and commercial. 200 buildings that included
schools, medical centres, houses were demolished, the one that occupied Sarakki
lake. Several buildings in Banaswadi on the lake bed and South Bengaluru on
Puttenahalli lake were demolished. Several surveys of the lake area had indicated
that 34 acres of the 84 acres of the lake area across three villages Sarakki,
Puttenahalli and Jaraganahalli was encroached by private layouts/commercial
establishments and estimated to cost around Rs. 2000 crores in the current open
market. Flats at Yamare village, Anekal Taluk built on Raja Kaluve (storm water
drain) were demolished as the builder had encroached 700 m of storm water drain
to construct a residential project of 140 flats, extending up to 2 acres, that valued
Rs. 12 crores. Encroached land in Iblur lake was also revived. Iblur lake was spread
across 18 acres and 6 guntas but had got reduced to 7 acres and 32 guntas.
3500 BDA plots also were to be taken over.
3 Mumbai Floods—That Sinking Feeling
Being a heavily populated coastal city, Mumbai is highly vulnerable to the impacts
of climate change. Extreme weather events, flooding, sea level rise, missing winter,
urban heat island effect, some of these effects have already started to show
Lack of Environmental Planning Exacerbating Climate Change Risks …
459