Karnataka cabinet decides on acquiring Palace Grounds land for road widening
Bengaluru, Mar 14: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided that it will require the Palace Grounds land for road widening purposes, ahead of a contempt case regarding the matter coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court.
The cabinet also decided to give Transferable Development Rights (TDR) against the acquisition of land, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters.
According to the minister, the apex court has sought the personal presence of Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary in the Urban Development Department and the Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the urban local body governing Bengaluru city.
He said that in 2006, the Karnataka government had decided to acquire 15.5 acres of Palace Grounds near Mekhri Circle for road widening.
Accordingly a compound wall was built inside the Palace Grounds, but the previous BJP government decided that it did not require it.
The Mysuru Royal family approached the Supreme Court against the government decision saying that in 2006-07 the compound wall was built inside the palace grounds for acquisition of land, but now they do not need it for road widening.
"The SC converted the case into a contempt of court case. Since the land has been acquired, compensation has to be paid. The Court directed the government to come to a conclusion if the land was required or not," Gowda said.
The minister said that in 1996, Karnataka government through a law declared the Palace Grounds as a park and open space. The law was upheld by the High Court.
However, the Mysuru Royal family filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the Act, which ordered a status quo, he explained.
Gowda said the CM on Thursday sought to know why the matter was continuing as a status quo.
"The Chief Minister said the government did not fight the case strongly. He even asked them to hire good lawyers to present our original suit. Once the original suit is resolved, all the other cases will be disposed of," the minister said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
