From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Nov 11: Erring House Building Cooperative Societies (HBCS) have been warned by the Karnataka Government of stringent action, including supercession, against their managements for irregularties in allotment of sites, houses and violation of bye-laws as also flouting of guidelines adopted by them.

Cooperation Minister Laxman S Savadi on Friday disclosed that the department has issued notices to 80 HBCSs after receiving complaints for the alleged irregularities in allotment of sites to non-members and overlooking the seniority of the existing members.
 
The minister said inquiry officers have been appointed under Rule 64 of the Cooperation Act with regard to 23 HBCS to probe alleged violations of norms.

Stringent actions would be initiated if office-bearers of societies found guilty after receiving the inquiry report, he warned.

Administrators have been appointed for two HBCSs under Rules 31 and closure notices have been issued to another two societies.

The department officials have slapped notices on State Legislature Secretariat Employees’ House Building Co-operative Society, Vyalikaval HBCS and Kanaka HBCS seeking explanation for the alleged irregularities in allotment of sites and flats in violation of the bye-laws and rules.

“The department will wait for replies from the societies facing charges and later take suitable action will be taken against them under the existing law,” the minister said.

Jayachamarajendra House Building Co-operative Society, Mysore and ABL HBCS, Gulbarga, have been closed for their misdeeds, the minister said.

He also reiterated the government’s stand that guilty would be punished without discrimination and there is also no any proposal to regularise the unauthoraised allotment of sites and houses by the respective societies.

Referring to alleged irregularities in the High Court Employees HBSC, he said the department has been awaiting a report from the inquiry committee on the alleged violations in the allotment of sites.

A total of 1054 HBCSs are registered and active in the State.

Defending the work done by HBCSs, the Minister said the Bangalore Development Authority has distributed 1.39 lakh sites since its inception in Bangalore while private HBCSs in have disbursed 2.75 lakh sites in Bangalore.

The Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has disbursed 35000 sites to the public while the HBCSs have allotted 1.15 lakh sites in the same city, he said.