BENGALURU: Karnataka Upalokayukta Justice B. Veerappa has ordered Mandya district revenue officials to take immediate action against illegally built resorts, homestays, and other properties, including the Chandravana Ashrama, located on encroached government land (Survey Nos. 164–178) along the Cauvery riverfront near Srirangapatna.
Acting on his own initiative, Justice Veerappa highlighted violations noted in the tahsildar’s report, indicating that constructions near Chandravana Ashrama and Bangaradoddi canal were built without the requisite 30-metre buffer zone. The order declares these structures as entirely unauthorized, lacking necessary land conversion, Muda-approved plans, municipal permits, and trade licenses, and even altering the river’s natural flow.
The Upalokayukta has instructed the tahsildar, assistant director of land records (ADLR), engineers from Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, environment officials, and others to quickly demarcate the buffer zone, identify encroachments, and take action against violators within a month. He criticized officials for their inaction despite previous directives and reports.
Justice Veerappa emphasized that some constructions are disrupting bird habitats in the Ranganathittu sanctuary. A deputy conservator of forests had previously requested the cancellation of a homestay’s registration in Srirangapatna for this reason.
