BANGALORE: Cash-strapped Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is eager to clear the legal hurdles surrounding the Akrama -Sakrama scheme, so that its financial problems are solved to some extent. For this, the BBMP is mulling to file a fresh affidavit before the High Court, seeking to quash the PIL that challenges the present Akrama- Sakrama bill. The BBMP has decided to incorporate the changes as suggested by the Governor, who rejected the bill in its present format and introduce it afresh in the state legislature. On May 13, Mayor along with Deputy L Srinivas, Home Minister R Ashoka and Ruling party leader N Nagaraj met the Governor and requested him to clear the bill, which is pending for his approval since many years. However, the Governor turned down the plea and told the delegation that he would immediately clear the bill, if the necessary legal amendments were made as suggested by him. According to governor, the bill was designed unscientifically. According to Mayor, they will soon call for a high power meeting where authorities from Bangalore Development Authority, Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) along with district-in-charge Minister R Ashok and Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar will be present. “We will discuss it in the meeting which is expected to be held before this month end,” he said. Further Mayor said that the High Court is closed for vacation right now. Once it reopens on May 21, they will apply for affidavit for clearance. He also said that a senior advocate will be engaged in this regard. “Once we get clearance from High Court, we don’t think there will be any difficulty in getting Governor’s approval,” he said. BBMP is expecting atleast Rs 3,000 crore revenue if the bill is implemented. At present, Akrama-Sakrama Bill is pending due to the public interest litigation filed in the High Court. Petitioners challenged the proposal to regularise up to 50 per cent violation of building bye-laws in residential structures, and up to 25 per cent violation in respect of commercial buildings, on payment of penal fees. According to the petitioners, this would lead to haphazard growth of the city which is already congested. Akrama-Sakrama scheme was introduced in 2007 to regularise unauthorised housing layouts and violations in building bylaws across the state. However, it was opposed by public as well as political parties stating that penalty amount is more. Penalty amount was reduced, and in 2009, State Cabinet approved the scheme. Somehow, the Bill has always been in controversy and Bharadwaj is the third governor to have sent the bill back.
Comments
0 comment