K'taka HC castigates BDA over land allotment
Bengaluru, Oct 19: The Karnataka High Court has warned that the manner in which government officials and the system is engaging with citizens, is leading to an explosive situation.
Justice Krishna S Dixit was hearing a petition by B R Hemaprakash and others alleging that despite the Aircraft Employees Co-operative Society forming a housing layout on 130 acres of land, members who have already paid for the sites have not been allotted.
Advocate Nanjunda Reddy, who appeared for the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), submitted that a public interest litigation and other writ petitions regarding the issue were pending. The revised plan was yet to be approved by the government.
Before adjourning the case to November 2, in a scathing oral observation, the court said BDA was allotting sites to people of its choice instead of common public.
The current petition was 10 years old, but the petitioners may "have to take it to their graves," the court said in a reprimanding tone.
The court said that if such a system existed in Germany or France, the citizens would have taken the government officials, advocates or anyone to task in public.
Warning the BDA, the court said that the agency can verify the anger of the people by going before them with their faces masked.
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Jharkhand: ED raids in Jal Jeevan Mission linked money laundering case
Ranchi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme's implementation in poll-bound Jharkhand, official sources said.
More than 20 locations in Ranchi are being covered as part of the probe.
Premises linked to IAS officer Manish Ranjan, a personal staffer of drinking water and sanitation minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, some government officials, contractors and businessmen are being searched by the federal probe agency, the sources said.
The money laundering case is linked to investigation into alleged irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The central government's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections.
Assembly elections are expected to be declared soon in the state.
