R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)
Karkala, Jul 16: A case in which a plot sanctioned by the government as house site having been illegally converted for industrial purpose through land conversion has come to light. In this deceptive deed, which occurred at Shivapura village within Ajekar revenue division in the taluk, retired teacher and revenue officials were reportredly hand in glove. A complaint in this regard has been sent to the state chief minister. The incident came out into the open with inordinate delay.
Shambhushankar Shetty and his wife Yashoda Shetty from Shivapura, who were teachers, had hired a minor girl named Laxmi from Sorab in Shivamogga district as domestic help. It is said that the family, by providing wrong information to the government, got a house site sanctioned in her name. Later, Shambhushankar Shetty allegedly got another house site sanctioned adjacent to the previous one, by concealing actual facts. The couple, who retired recently, got the land transferred in their names by getting a sale deed signed by Laxmi on May 18, 2012, it is claimed.
As per law, government employees are not eligible to either get government sites under different schemes, or buy sites allotted under these schemes to others. Although conversion of such house sites is barred, the concerned allegedly supplied false information to tahsildar of the taluk, revenue inspector of Ajekar revenue division, village accountant of Shivapura, and Shivapura panchayat development officer, and got the house site converted for industrial purpose.
Revenue inspector of Ajekar, village accountant of Shivapura, and panchayat development officer, it is said, connived with Shetty in providing false report to the tahsildar and illegally getting land conversion order issued by him. With the specific aim of deceit, during the conversion, the house site was shown as agricultural land.
Shambhushankar Shetty reportedly also encroached upon a major part of about 20 feet road passing by the side of the house site, leaving aside only about eight feet road now. He also has been accused of occupying about 25 cents of property lying by the side of the house site, where a commercial building and two houses have been built and given on rent. He reportedly has also been trying to get subsidy under different government schemes by raising loan for commercial entity.
Jagadish Naik from Shivapura, who has said that the land in question is located in an area where Dalits reside, claims that several complaints made to concerned officials have failed to evoke positive response. Therefore, he has urged in a complaint addressed to the chief minister, to order detailed probe into the issue.