Press Release : Bangalore : 09 June 2005
Illegal
demolitions by BMTF Official to aid NICE
Is Corporate Rule in force?
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In a most shocking development, Shri. V. Thimappa, Suptd. Of Police, Bangalore
Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF), assisted by about 150 policemen engaging three
JCBs and four Poclain machines, and without any backing of an executive and
judicial order, began demolishing private properties in the Pilaganahalli village,
near Gottigere, off Banneghatta Road. He was ostensibly engaged in this operation
to aid M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) and their controversial
Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMIC) involving the construction
of an expressway and five townships between Bangalore and Mysore.
Despite vehement protests from hundreds who had gathered, Shri. Thimappa continued his operations, threatening anyone who interfered with dire consequences, including arrest. On insistence from the undersigned, and local affected communities, that he produce any order from any authority justifying his action, all that the officer could produce was a legal opinion extended by M/s King & Partridge, legal counsel for NICE.
This is an unprecedented act, where an officer of the State has directly worked to benefit a private company to illegally demolish private structures, in clear violation of the rule of law, and on the mere opinion of a private counsel. His action violates the spirit and letter of several directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, particularly in the pending matter on BMICP in in SLP 11359-11361/2005, wherein the High Court of Karnataka judgment supporting the project has been stayed.
In the hour or so that this destruction continued, till stopped by strong but peaceful public resistance, the machines employed had damaged properties over fifty acres of the village. Every road had been scraped and damaged, compound walls torn down, water supply and drainage infrastructure destroyed, several buildings destroyed, scores of trees and plantation crops mowed over, electricity and telephone infrastructure damaged, and overall much of the infrastructure required for living in the Pillaganahalli village, had been substantially destroyed.
Shri. Thimmappa’s unilateral action, unprecedented as it is, is most condemnable and is direct threat to democratic processes protecting life, livelihood and private property.
Keeping this in view, we have written to Shri. Brahm Dutt, Home Secretary, Government of Karnataka, to immediately suspend the officer and initiate an enquiry into the whole incident. Shri. Dutt has assured us of effective action on this submission upon his independent verification of the facts.
A copy of the complaint lodged is enclosed for your perusal.
Leo
F. Saldanha
Coordinator
Environment Support Group ®
S-3, Rajashree Apartments, 18/57, 1st Main Road, S. R. K. Gardens,
Jayanagar, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560041. INDIA
Tel: 91-80-26341977/26531339/26534364
Fax: 91-80-51179912
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Web: www.esgindia.org
Vijayaraghavan
President
Bhooswadhina Virodhi Horata Vedike
44/1A, Lakshmidevi Industrial Estate, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560041
Tel: 91-80-26689544/26689844
Fax: 26782193
Email: [email protected]
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