Karkala: Municipal, postal dept controversy over land sees amicable end
R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (EP)
Karkala, Nov 21: There are indications that the long pending controversy between the Karkala municipal council and the postal department with regard to a land where a bus stand is located will finally be set to rest. It is learnt that the chief executive officer at Karkala municipal council has written a letter to the postal department on November 13, stating that they have no objection to building of a compound wall in between their properties.
File Photo
The postal department had come forward on October 25 to earmark its 25 cents land coming under survey number 135/5. Some people had expressed their displeasure as the land covering the survey number is adjacent to the extended bus stand.
When the postal department prepared to construct a boundary wall after completing the survey work in tight police security, Gopalakrishna Shetty, chief executive officer at the town municipal council had objected saying that the construction should not continue without municipal approval.
Though the postal department had written to the municipal council with requisite documents requesting for approval for compound wall, the officials of the municipality had forwarded the letter to the deputy commissioner who ordered a stay.
When the Indian Archaeological Survey department was reconstructing a collapsed compound wall of the historic Anantashayana temple, the municipality had come forward with its objection. The department had ignored the objection saying that it does not need municipal approval to protect its property and the municipality was acting beyond its jurisdiction. The same yardstick has now been followed in the case of postal department.
The Karnataka notification 1964 section 377 states that no license or approval is required for land in the possession of the central or state government. When such clause exists in government notification, it is questionable as to how could the municipality could object to the postal department boundary wall work. It is however interesting to note that Gopalakrishna Shetty had written to the postal department when he was about to be transferred.
Illegal occupation of land
After identification of postal land, a board was hung warning that occupying government land would be considered an offence. However, it is found that a portion of the land is being occupied by some of the people.