Latest news with #BVeerappa
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
89-year-old still awaits land granted to her freedom fighter husband in 1969
BENGALURU: 'Nowhere in the world's history, in any civilisation, has such an inordinate delay been caused by any government. A delay of 55 years is an insult to the term humanity. Therefore, Revenue Department officials in Tumakuru should be honoured with a 'Special Service Medal' in recognition of their 'meritorious service'...' This is how NK Lalithambika, 89-year-old widow of a freedom fighter from Tumakuru district, complained to Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa against the state authorities, who she alleged neither handed over the possession of a 4-acre 'hillock' land granted to her husband in 1969 nor allotted any alternative land, under the Freedom Fighters Quota. The tragic part is that, after her husband TS Virupakshappa died, Lalithambika has been fighting for the possession of the land for 39 years, which is more than the period her husband fought for freedom. The land was allotted in Survey No. 26, Plot No. 7 at Vaddarahalli village in Tumakuru taluk in 1969. Disheartened by her battle, Justice Veerappa wrote to the Revenue Minister in the first week of August, stating that the land allotted was a 'hillock' that was unfit for cultivation. Even if it is considered, neither the possession of the said land was handed over, nor was an alternative land allotted to the elderly lady.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delayed relief to kin of martyrs: 31 cases filed
BENGALURU: Since many dependents of martyrs and ex-servicemen are still waiting for government benefits even after decades, the two Upa Lokayuktas on Tuesday filed 31 suo motu complaints—one for each district. This aims to push the state to deliver the promised support. A first-of-its-kind massive joint action was taken by the Upa Lokayuktas- Justice K N Phaneendra and Justice B Veerappa ahead of the 79th Independence Day celebrations. Speaking to TNIE, Justice Phaneendra, Upa Lokayukta-1, in charge of 15 districts, said the move aims to support families of those who sacrificed their lives for the nation, after receiving multiple complaints about martyrs' and ex-servicemen's families struggling to get their due benefits. Justice Veerappa, Upa Lokayukta-2, in charge of 16 districts, said, 'We are safe because of the soldiers who are shedding blood on the border. Despite laws being brought to facilitate certain benefits to them, neither have they been given land nor a site, which amounts to maladministration under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, he said. The Upa Lokayuktas have fixed the responsibility to the Assistant Commissioners of all districts to ensure that all the reports are submitted by September 24. Further, the copies of the suomoto complaints have been marked to the Deputy Commissioners, and also to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department. Upa Lokayuktas cited cases like Geetha B C, from Mandya, who hasn't received benefits 20 years after her husband's death, and N K Lalithambika from Tumakuru, who's been fighting for land promised to her 50 years ago. Details sought from each tahsildar How many ex-servicemen are there in each taluk How many were martyred while in service How many of them have been provided statutory relief, benefits How many of them were allotted land or site under Karnataka Land Grant Rules, 1969 How many applications have been received, approved, pending If no benefits are given, reasons must be given along with the explanation by the tahsildars
New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Upa Lokayukta to launch massive drive to plant 80k saplings in Karnataka's Tumakuru
BENGALURU: Continuing his mission to protect and enrich the environment, Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa will on Thursday launch a massive drive to plant 80,000 saplings in 300 acres of forest land in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk of Tumakuru District The programme was reclaimed by the revenue department from encroachers and handed over to the forest department. After taking over as Upa Lokayukta in July 2024, Justice Veerappa was instrumental in planting 40,000 saplings, including 25,000 in Tumakuru, 10,000 in Kolar and 2,000 in Karighatta of Mandya district. The land at Chikkanayakanahalli was occupied by encroachers for decades and was restored as forest land. Despite a recommendation made by the then Upa Lokayukta Justice N Anand under Section 12(1) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act in 2019 on a complaint filed in 2015 by one Siddalingegowda, the land was not reclaimed by the state authorities for about six years. Taking up the matter after taking charge, Justice Veerappa warned of referring the matter to the governor for action, while summoning the officials concerned and fixing hearings back-to-back to take the issue to a logical end. The proceedings culminated with the revenue department reclaiming the land and making related entries in the revenue records on June 17, 2025, to show that this land belongs to the forest. 'I am launching the plantation drive to protect the land from unscrupulous persons and enrich nature further,' Justice Veerappa told TNIE.
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
‘Corruption more dangerous than cancer': Justice B Veerappa
Justice B Veerappa, Upa Lokayukta, Karnataka, is on a mission to cauterise the cancerous growth of corruption in bureaucracy. In an interaction with TNIE, he says the fight against corruption has to begin in the mother's womb. He is determined to make the anti-corruption watchdog more powerful than ever at a time when IPS officers from within the Lokayukta too are mired in corruption. Here are the excerpts: Who do you think the corrupt are — people or elected representatives? Corruption has prevailed since pre-Independence. Society as a whole is full of corruption, except for a few. Why is corruption so rampant? There are good laws like the Prevention of Corruption Act, but the people appointed do not implement them properly. What makes people in power corrupt? Position and possession. With selfish agendas, everybody is fighting for position and wealth. Corruption is more dangerous than cancer. Cancer can be cured, but not corruption. What is the role of the Lokayukta institution as a whole? In all, about 25,000 cases are pending before the institution. Of them, nearly 8,000 are false. These pose the biggest problem, causing colossal waste of time and manpower. Many such complaints are being filed to achieve a selfish agenda. By the time we find out, three years would have been lost as we have to follow all the procedures to dispose them of, including issuing notices to the concerned, calling for explanation and scrutiny. People should resist filing such complaints and allow us to give quality time to genuine complaints. The more we visit the districts, the more complaints we receive. But the manpower is not enough to take up these complaints. The institution is facing a severe shortage of staff and vehicles. We write often to the authorities, but no government is interested in strengthening the institution.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Water in Bengaluru lakes not fit for even farming
BENGALURU: The quality of water in 2,020 lakes in and around Bengaluru coming under different zones of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) are of 'D' and 'E' categories, which makes them unfit even for agriculture. This was revealed when Lokayukta officials paid a surprise visit to KSPCB offices and conducted a search in the city on Wednesday. BBMP and BWSSB are letting untreated sewage into the Vrishabhavathi river due to the lack of an underground drainage system, and not industries or apartments. The water quality in this catchment area is categorised as 'D' and 'E'. While test results have been the same every month for the last several years, no steps have been taken to address it and neither have criminal cases been registered against both agencies by KSPCB under provisions of the Air and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Acts and Environment (Protection) Act. Although KSPCB authorities claimed there is a 50-metre buffer zone along the Vrishabhavathi in BDA and BBMP limits, as there was an exception against the actual 500m buffer zone, they have not prevented illegal constructions even within 50m. Except a few lakes which are monitored by courts taking up suo motu cases, the majority of lakes are polluted severely, besides being encroached. This was disclosed by KSPCB authorities themselves when Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa accompanied judicial and police officers who visited RR Nagar region. This team is one among 27 teams which paid surprise visits. Water bodies with water quality in 'D' and 'E' categories include 35 lakes in Anekal Zone, 40 lakes in Bommanahalli Zone, 35 lakes in Bengaluru South Zone, 1,772 lakes in Bengaluru East Zone comprising Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Mahadevapura and Hosakote, 24 lakes in Bengaluru City Zone, 8 lakes in Bengaluru City East Zone, 16 lakes in Sarjapur Zone, 40 lakes in Mahadevapura Zone, 12 lakes in Hosakote and Devanahalli Zone, 2 lakes in Bengaluru City West Zone, 6 lakes in Bengaluru City South Zone and 30 lakes in Bengaluru North Zone. This was disclosed by KSPCB authorities when Justice Veerappa confronted them with the provisions of law during the visit. It was also found that KSPCB officials had done UPI transactions beyond their legitimate income, hence their financial statements have been sought by Justice Veerappa. Corruption charges Lokayukta Justice BS Patil visited the KSPCB head office, and Lokayukta IGP Subramanyeshara Rao visited Peenya Industrial Area. The visit came in view of complaints received against KSPCB officials on corruption charges, nepotism, maladministration, and dereliction of duty.
