Karnataka to explore legal options after SC bars water and power supply to buildings without plan sanction
Months after the Supreme Court prohibited water and power supply to buildings not having valid building plan sanction and possession certificates, the Karnataka government is exploring legal options to aid residents who have built houses without obtaining the documents.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the Supreme Court decision would inconvenience the public. 'I have consulted legal advisors on how to help the general public (following the SC directions),' he said.
Around 2.5 lakh people in rural and urban areas have constructed houses without the required documents, Shivakumar said, noting that all of them had applied for power and water supply.
Some people who constructed houses without these documents have already deposited money with the electricity supply corporations.
'We will collect information on how other states will tackle the issue. In the meantime, people should avoid building houses without building plan certificates,' he said, adding that water and power supply would not be provided to such buildings.
On whether the government would bring in the Akrama-Sakrama Bill, which sought to regularise illegal constructions in the state, he said, 'Our government is working towards addressing all problems related to khata documents,' he said.
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