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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MP: 3-year-old girl suffering from brain tumour dies after 'Santhara' ritual in Jainism
Indore, May 4 (PTI): A three-year-old girl suffering from brain tumour died after her parents initiated her into the Jain religious practice of fasting unto death as advised by a spiritual leader in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.
The girl, Viyana Jain, who was their only child, breathed her last on March 21, her parents said.
Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, is a Jain ritual of voluntarily fasting unto death. As per this practice, a person gradually reduces his or her intake of food and water until death as a means of achieving spiritual purification and detachment from the world.
According to her parents, the Golden Book of World Records has taken note and issued a certificate in the name of Viyana for being "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara".
Her parents, who work as Information Technology (IT) professionals, say that they decided to make their daughter take the Santhara vow after being advised by a Jain muni (monk).
Talking to PTI on Saturday, Piyush Jain, the girl's father, said, "My daughter was diagnosed with brain tumour in January this year. She underwent a surgery, following which her health improved. But in March, her condition deteriorated and she started facing difficulty in consuming food and drinking."
On the night of March 21, he took his seriously ill daughter along with his family members to Jain monk Rajesh Muni Maharaj for darshan.
"Maharaj ji saw my daughter's condition and told us that the girl's end is near and she should be given the Santhara vow. This fast holds a lot of significance in Jainism. After thinking about it, we finally agreed to go for it," he said.
Jain said that his daughter died within a few minutes of the monk completing the religious rituals of Santhara.
He also said the Golden Book of World Records registered his daughter's name and issued a certificate of world record in which her name was mentioned as "the youngest person in the world to vow the Jain ritual Santhara".
Her mother Varsha Jain said, "I cannot describe how difficult the decision was to make my daughter take the Santhara vow. My daughter was suffering a lot due to the brain tumour. It was very painful for me to see her in this condition."
Remembering Viyana, her mother turned emotional and said, "I want my daughter to always be happy in her next birth."
In the religious terminology of the Jain community, Santhara is also called 'Sallekhana' and 'Samadhi Maran'. Under this ancient practice, a person gives up food, water and worldly things to embrace death when he or she feels that the end has come.
The debate over Santhara in legal and religious circles intensified in 2015 when the Rajasthan High Court declared the practice a punishable offence under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 309 (attempt to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, the apex court, while hearing petitions filed by various religious bodies of the Jain community, stayed the Rajasthan High Court order.
Parents display a certificate recognising their three-year-old daughter, named Viyana Jain, as a world record holder for undertaking 'Santhara', the Jain ritual of fasting unto death, issued by the Golden Book of World Records, in Indore. Viyana Jain was suffering from a terminal brain tumor. (PTI Photo/Harshwardhan Prakash)
