From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 3: The State Government will take steps to recover civic amenity sites and lands reserved for parks in various city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats in the State by land sharks, Municipal Administration and Local Bodies Minister Balachandra Jarakiholi said on Friday.

Officials in all the civic bodies in the State have been directed to submit a comprehensive report to the Government on the encroachment of all civic properties across the State, the minister said.

Talking to reporters, he said the officials in the civic bodies have been directed to submit the report by August 31.

The issue pertaining to encroachment of properties of municipalities was debated during the just concluded legislature session.

Jarakiholi, who reviewed the works undertaken by the department, said the State Government has decided to take up road development and drainage works in areas coming under municipalities at a cost of about Rs 1,100 crore.

A total of 4,500 km roads would be asphalted by spending Rs 20 lakh per km of road.

Drainage works costing Rs 247 crore would be taken up during the current financial year itself, he said.

A committee headed by district in-charge ministers would identify roads to be developed and areas for drainage works and also take care of quality issues.

A sum of Rs 74 crore has been released to urban local bodies to meet drinking water requirements, he said.