<p>The State government has decided to recover civic amenity (CA) sites that have been encroached by land sharks in the limits of all urban local bodies (barring city corporations) in the State.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Disclosing this to reporters, Municipal Administration Minister Balachandra Jharkiholi said he had directed the Urban Development Department to submit a report on encroachment of CA sites in all City Municipal Councils, Town Municipal Councils and Town Panchayats in a month’s time. Action will be initiated to recover them based on the report. The department had been directed to recommend action to be taken against officials who had colluded with land sharks in encroaching CA sites, he added.<br /><br />The Minister said former minister Goolihatti Shekar had urged him to take action against officials who had helped land sharks encroach CA sites in Hosadurga taluk. The problem is not confined to Hosadurga. Land sharks have encroached upon a large number of CA sites in urban local bodies with the help of local officials.<br /><br /> Hence, it was decided to take action across the State, he added. He said he has directed all urban local bodies that the final approval for action plans for taking up various developmental works under the Chief Minister’s Nagarothana Yojane, should be taken by December 2012 and 100 per cent fund utilisation should be ensured by March 2013.<br /><br /> The Yojane, which has an outlay of Rs 1,454 crore, envisages upgrading of civic amenities in urban local bodies.<br /><br />The department was able to spend only about 35 per cent of the Rs 661-crore allocation under the Yojane in the last financial year. This was because urban local bodies failed to prepare action plans and get approvals. <br /><br />The approval process was cumbersome. Now, steps are being taken to simplify it, he said. Erratic power supply was one of the reasons for water supply problem, he added.</p>
<p>The State government has decided to recover civic amenity (CA) sites that have been encroached by land sharks in the limits of all urban local bodies (barring city corporations) in the State.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Disclosing this to reporters, Municipal Administration Minister Balachandra Jharkiholi said he had directed the Urban Development Department to submit a report on encroachment of CA sites in all City Municipal Councils, Town Municipal Councils and Town Panchayats in a month’s time. Action will be initiated to recover them based on the report. The department had been directed to recommend action to be taken against officials who had colluded with land sharks in encroaching CA sites, he added.<br /><br />The Minister said former minister Goolihatti Shekar had urged him to take action against officials who had helped land sharks encroach CA sites in Hosadurga taluk. The problem is not confined to Hosadurga. Land sharks have encroached upon a large number of CA sites in urban local bodies with the help of local officials.<br /><br /> Hence, it was decided to take action across the State, he added. He said he has directed all urban local bodies that the final approval for action plans for taking up various developmental works under the Chief Minister’s Nagarothana Yojane, should be taken by December 2012 and 100 per cent fund utilisation should be ensured by March 2013.<br /><br /> The Yojane, which has an outlay of Rs 1,454 crore, envisages upgrading of civic amenities in urban local bodies.<br /><br />The department was able to spend only about 35 per cent of the Rs 661-crore allocation under the Yojane in the last financial year. This was because urban local bodies failed to prepare action plans and get approvals. <br /><br />The approval process was cumbersome. Now, steps are being taken to simplify it, he said. Erratic power supply was one of the reasons for water supply problem, he added.</p>