Issue B-Khata to properties in illegal layouts as one-time settlement: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Feb 18 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday instructed officials to put an end to the illegal residential layouts in Karnataka by issuing B-Khata to properties as a one-time settlement.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to complete the process within three months.
In residential areas in Karnataka, people get A-Khata for the layouts approved by the competent authorities such as Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) or Urban Development Authorities. The properties on layouts without approval get B-Khata as they are illegal. This move will give relief to lakhs of property owners across the state and generate huge revenue for the government, a municipal officer told PTI.
Chairing a meeting with the officials of the Urban Development Department and Deputy Commissioners of the districts through video conference, the chief minister said the menace of illegal layouts should end once and for all.
"We will end this (illegal layout menace) by giving B-Khata once and for all. This is only one-time measure. You (officials) have been given only three months. Conduct a campaign and complete it within this time," Siddaramaiah was quoted in a statement issued by his office.
The CM said the government will put an end to the unauthorised settlements which are there in all the cities, towns, municipal limits and villages.
"There should be no room for unauthorised settlements in the state from now on. We have started a drive to put an end to unauthorised settlements through the law. The officials should clearly understand and start their work," Siddaramaiah said in the meeting.
He told the officers that the state is not getting revenue from unauthorised layouts.
"People are not getting civic amenities and local bodies are also losing income. All these disadvantages need to be put to an end," the chief minister said.
The government will not compromise on this anymore, he said, and warned that the administration will not tolerate if the officials compromise.
"If unauthorised settlements raise their heads again, the District Collector, Chief Officer, and Urban Planning Officers will be held accountable. We will take action against them without hesitation," the chief minister said in the meeting.
He also asked the officials to drive away middlemen and brokers immediately.
Siddaramaiah also told the officials that they should clearly understand the government’s vision behind enacting laws to curb illegal layouts.
"Illegal layouts and settlements on revenue (agriculture) land should not raise their head again in the state. Those who have sites and built houses in unauthorised and revenue settlements should not be troubled."
"You have to give a one-time solution to facilitate the poor and middle class. Give everyone B-Khata within three months and end it. Start giving B-Khata from today itself. Let there be no confusion," the CM said at the meeting.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and other senior officials were present at the meeting.
Later speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said the government had formed a committee led by Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre. After the committee gave its report, a law was formulated to check illegal layouts.
"Presently we are giving all facilities to the properties in the revenue layouts, but they are not paying taxes. Hence, I have directed officials to launch a B-Khata drive," he said.
The CM explained that such a drive is being carried out in Bengaluru. Next, it will be done in municipalities and areas under the Urban Development Department.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
