Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the State government to reclaim government land from encroachers who have grabbed more than five acres, and submit a report by January 30, 2015.
Hearing a batch of petitions seeking direction from the court to recover thousands of acres of government land, a division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice RB Budihal directed those encroachers who have been farming and living on the government land measuring less than five areas, to submit copies of their land documents to the local legal services authority offices.
Amicus curiae submitted that the encroachers who belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes must be given an opportunity to submit their documents at the legal services authority.
The government counsel submitted that the government had managed to reclaim 16,000 acres of encroached land in a span of one month. He stated that more than 46,000 acres of land had been recovered till date.
The counsel representing Namma Bengaluru Foundation argued that the government was showing the figures only by evicting smaller encroachers, but not those who had encroached upon large chunks of government land. The counsel representing Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya urged the bench to pass an interim order. The matter was adjourned to January 13, 2015.
Notice to transport dept
The High Court on Friday ordered issuance of notice to the State Transport and Home department in connection with a matter on school vans and autorickshaws flouting the safety guidelines of the Supreme Court while ferrying schoolchildren.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice RB Budihal ordered notice to the State government too. The petitioner has contended that school vans, especially those run by using domestic LPG cylinders were quite risky. The petitioner has contended that the vans and autos were crowded with more than the seating capacity.
The petitioner has also sought for ban on plying vehicles which are more than 15 years old and to instal speed governors in the vehicles. The matter will be heard after winter vacation.
