Bengaluru: Water Resources Minister N. Chaluvarayaswamy has directed officials to step up the investigation into alleged irregularities in site allotments to families displaced by the Upper Krishna Project (UKP), and ordered strict legal action against those found guilty.
Reviewing the alleged irregularities at the Kolhar Rehabilitation Centre at Vikasa Soudha on Tuesday, the minister directed officials to register FIRs in cases involving multiple sites being allotted to the same beneficiary and sites allegedly being allotted to ineligible persons using forged documents.
He instructed officials to take action not only against those directly involved but also against anyone found to have facilitated the alleged irregularities.
Chaluvarayaswamy directed officials to resolve technical issues related to site allotments by the end of October. He also instructed them to ensure that title deeds are issued to all eligible beneficiaries before the next review meeting.
Officials were asked to submit, within three days, a report detailing the layouts developed at the rehabilitation centre and the infrastructure provided there.
The minister also sought a written report on technical hurdles affecting the creation of e-Aasthi, the digital property-record system.
During the meeting, Chaluvarayaswamy spoke to Regional Commissioner Janaki over video conference and directed her to coordinate immediately with the investigating agency and review the progress of the ongoing probe.
He also ordered officials to initiate necessary legal proceedings, including eviction of persons found to have obtained sites illegally, and to examine the role of government officials allegedly linked to the irregularities.
The minister reprimanded the Taluk Panchayat executive officer and directed him to coordinate with the Regional Commissioner to resolve the technical issues. He warned that failure to resolve the matter within a month could invite legal action.
The UKP project resulted in the submergence of 176 villages. A rehabilitation centre with 5,664 sites was developed in 1995 for 3,435 displaced families.
Officials said allegations had surfaced that 1,117 sites were allotted illegally. According to the allegations, intermediaries used forged documents to secure sites for ineligible beneficiaries. As many as 123 sites were reportedly allotted to two beneficiaries each.
The meeting was also informed that the Criminal Investigation Department (COD) had investigated the matter in 2016 and filed charge sheets against eight officials. Allegations have also been raised against officials, including those at the levels of Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLO) and Rehabilitation Officer (RO).
However, several issues concerning the allotments and the status of the investigation remain unresolved, officials said.
Chaluvarayaswamy directed the department to expedite action in cases involving alleged fraudulent allotments and ensure that eligible displaced families receive their rightful benefits.
MLA Shivanand Patil, Irrigation Department Secretary Kulkarni and senior officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam were present at the meeting.