Golf Course in Bangarpet has encroached 40% of govt land: Minister

Confident Golf Play near Bangarpet in Kolar district has encroached 40% of the government land for developing the golf course and the Law Department has recommended to the Revenue Department to act against officials who have failed to protect the land, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

In reply to a question of Narayan Swamy K.M. (Congress), Mr. Gowda said Confident Golf Play had also destroyed a water body and his department would not be in a position to grant the land to the golf course.

Mr. Narayan Swamy claimed that the golf course had not acquired the government land and he had documents to prove his claim. However, he sought the Revenue Department’s intervention to register the land in the name of golf developers.

Mr. Gowda said the matter has been referred to the Cabinet, and the Chief Secretary referred it to the Law Department. Based on the land survey records, the Law Department said that the golf course illegally grabbed 40% of the revenue land. It ruled out allotment of the land to the private party.

As per the law, the Revenue Department has powers to allot land to the golf course if it is within the city limits or near the city. But the golf course is located 5 km from the Bangarpet town, Mr. Gowda said.

Shortage of land

Replying to questions raised by Krishnappa M.T., JD(S), Anil Chikmadu (Congress) Sharada Poorya Naik, JD(S), Nanje Gowda (Congress), Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda said there was shortage in the availability of government lands for construction of anganwadi centres, taluk offices, playgrounds, cemetery and other buildings. More than 13 lakh applications have been pending in the department seeking allotment of lands or regularisation of ownership of lands by farmers.

However, the department has found that many individuals claimed regularisation of lands which they were not cultivating, land falling in the category of lakes/tanks, forest lands, and not being cultivated at all. In three different verdicts, the Supreme Court ruled against giving public lands/gomala to private purposes, the Minister said.

For party office

Meanwhile, Suresh Babu, JD(S), and Suresh Gowda, BJP, claimed that the government has allotted its land for construction of Congress Party offices but objected to regularisation of farm land being cultivated by farmers for several years.