CM's wife "illegally" allotted alternative land in Mysuru, alleges BJP; Siddaramaiah denies charge
Bengaluru, Jul 2: The opposition BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday alleged that Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has "illegally" allotted an alternative land in a posh area to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi against the ‘acquisition’ of close to four acres owned by her.
The Chief Minister rejected the charge saying that his wife was entitled for an alternative land under the "50:50 ratio" scheme, introduced by the previous BJP government, after the MUDA formed a layout on her land without even acquiring it.
Under the scheme, a land loser gets a quarter acre of developed land against the acquisition of one acre of undeveloped land.
Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysuru. also claimed that an alternative land was given to his wife during the previous BJP government and not during his tenure as the Chief Minister.
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In a post on ‘X’, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka sought to know how Siddaramaiah will justify the "illegal transfer of land."
He also alleged that when the matter came to light, the concerned officers were transferred, instead of suspending them.
Ashoka said that the Central Bureau of Investigation or a retired high court judge should have probed the matter but the government assigned two IAS officers to investigate it "only to cover up the scam."
“Who gave permission for allotment of land under 50:50 ratio? Who recommended allotment of land in posh areas? Who gave permission for the exchange of land in the posh area without cabinet approval?” the BJP leader sought to know.
Siddaramaiah said his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna had purchased three acres and 36 guntas of land in 1996 and gifted it to his sister, who is Siddaramaiah’s wife. (one acre is 40 guntas).
It was the BJP government which introduced the 50:50 ratio scheme, he said.
“MUDA did not acquire three acres and 36 guntas of land but created plots and sold them out. It is not that my wife’s property was acquired but plots were made and sold out. I don’t know whether MUDA did it knowingly or unknowingly,” the Chief Minister explained.
He added that after plots were made on his wife's land and sold out by MUDA, she was deprived of her property.
“Should we lose our property? Shouldn’t MUDA give us our land legally? When we asked MUDA about it, they said they will give us land as per 50:50 ratio. We agreed to it. Then MUDA gave us equal measurement of sites in different places. What is wrong with that?” Siddaramaiah asked.
Meanwhile, following a report in a vernacular daily about an alleged large-scale scam pertaining to allotment of alternative sites (plots) by MUDA, the Karnataka government ordered an inquiry by a panel headed by Commissioner of Urban Authorities Venkatachalapathy R.
The members in the panel are Additional Director, Town and Country Planning Shashi Kumar M C, Joint Director Town, Country Planning Commissionerate, Shanthala, and Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Prakash.
The panel has been asked to submit its report within 15 days, official sources said.
ಗೋಲ್ಮಾಲ್ ಸಿಎಂ
— R. Ashoka (ಮೋದಿ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ) (@RAshokaBJP) July 2, 2024
₹4,000 ಕೋಟಿ ಗುಳುಂ
ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ನಿಗಮದ 187 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂಪಾಯಿ ದಲಿತರ ಹಣವನ್ನ ಗುಳುಂ ಮಾಡಿರುವ 'ಸಿದ್ಧ'ಹಸ್ತರು ಈಗ ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮುಡಾದಲ್ಲಿ ₹4,000 ಕೋಟಿ ಗುಳುಂ ಮಾಡುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಮತ್ತೊಮ್ಮೆ ತಮ್ಮ 'ಕೈ'ಚಳಕ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಗೋಲ್ಮಾಲ್ ಸಿಎಂ @siddaramaiah ನವರೇ, ಈ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಬಳಿ… pic.twitter.com/rhtvPuzkLW
ನನ್ನ ಪತ್ನಿಗೆ ಅವರ ತವರು ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ದಾನವಾಗಿ ಬಂದ ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ರಿಂಗ್ ರೋಡ್ ಬಳಿಯ 3 ಎಕರೆ 16 ಗುಂಟೆ ಜಮೀನನ್ನು ಮೈಸೂರು ನಗರಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರದವರು ಸೈಟ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಬೇರೆಯವರಿಗೆ ಹಂಚಿದರು. ನಾವು ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ವಿಚಾರ ಮಾಡಿ ನ್ಯಾಯ ಕೇಳಿದಾಗ 50:50 ನಿಯಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಬದಲಿ ಜಮೀನು ನೀಡುವುದಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದರು. ನಂತರ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ… pic.twitter.com/YozVomGfl5
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 2, 2024
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
