In a strongly worded order, the Karnataka Upalokayukta Justice B. Veerappa has come down heavily on revenue authorities in Mandya district for dubious land grant and failure to clear illegal resorts and encroachments along the Cauvery in Srirangapatna.
The order, issued on November 27, questioned the recommendation for a permanent grant of government land to Chandravana Ashram in Srirangapatana and flagged serious procedural lapses in the process.
The Upalokayukta had initiated suo-motu proceedings on June 10 into the complaints of illegal structures and diversion of the Cauvery river course in survey numbers 164 to 178, noted in its order that there were allegations of encroachments and violation of various land grant rules none of which were clarified by the concerned authorities.
The order slammed the officials for failing to furnish documents related to the 30-year land lease granted to the ashram. The officials were also faulted for not providing clarity on the legal status of certain works despite the government having spent over ₹4.07 crore on a 255-m retaining wall, Yatri Nivas and other amenities.
The decision of the tahsildar’s recommendation on August 5 this year for permanent grant of 1 acre 28 guntas to the Ashram, at guidance value – even though the earlier lease had eight years more years before its expiry, came in for strong criticism.
‘’The approach of the revenue authorities is surprising and shocking, as they have recommended for permanent grant, even before he expiry of the lease period,” the order noted.
The order stated that land within municipal limits of Srirangapatana cannot be granted under Rule 22-A(2) of the Karnataka Land Grant Rules, 1969, to any person or any private institutions.
Contrasting the attitude of the revenue officials with regard to the case of CRPF Constable L.B. Sundresha, martyred in Pulwama in 2000, the order noted that his widow has not been allotted land even after 26 years due to “non-availability’’.
But the very same revenue authorities have blissfully sent a recommendation for grant of land to the ashram to reasons best known to them which is both surprising and shocking, said the Upalokayukta.
The revenue authorities were also censured for failing to act on reports of illegal resorts and homestays operating in the buffer zone of the Cauvery, and noted that only some temporary structures were removed and no details were furnished of each survey numbers from 164 to 178.
It said that as per the report of the revenue inspector and the village administrative officer of Srirangapatna and dated November 22, illegal resorts in survey numbers 174/1 and 7 are in buffer zone and still functioning.
Officials have been directed to file a detailed Action Taken Report supported by mahazars, GPS-tagged photographs, and videography covering all structures from Sy. Nos. 164 to 178, identification of buffer zone from the river Cauvery and Bangadoddi canal. The matter will be heard again on December 30.
Published – December 04, 2025 07:26 pm IST
