Bangalore
Mirror: Bangalore: Saturday, 28 November 2015.
A gutsy Satya
Achayya took on the corrupt, but the courts make her job tougher.
A former
chief minister's personal secretary was constructing a residential building
with reportedly 80% violations on 8th cross, Nandidurg Road extension. While
neighbours stood, watched and spoke in hush-hush tones among themselves, there
was one lady living at the quaint corner of the road who stood up against it.
Today, she is leading a team of likeminded citizens who are fighting in the
high court against illegal constructions and violations by making all the civic
stakeholders respondents.
Satya
Achayya, now 69, took on the mighty and fought through it. Following up with
officials back and forth can be quite a task - more so because engineers show
no interest in acting against illegal buildings that can fetch them good
moolah. However, Satya who pursued this building of the politically connected
ex-CM's secretary which was being built on a 1,200 sqft plot, was able get a
provisional order for demolition and finally, a demolition notice was pasted on
the building. As usual, the owner approached the court and subsequently sold
the building.
While no
drastic action happened in this case in 2009, this was a start to Satya's fight
against building violations in the area, to be precise, on her lane and against
her neighbours. Presently, her next door neighbour is constructing a
four-storied residential building (which may go up to five floors) that has no
setbacks, has violated FAR and all possible rules. "When I filed an RTI
with the area engineer for a copy of the building plan, the reply I got was
baffling.
That there is
no building plan! When the engineer himself knows that there is no building
plan approval, how can he allow the construction, despite being brought to his
notice? The building owner happily continues the work. How can officials allow
such lawlessness?'' asks Satya.
On just two roads in her colony, she has taken
on nine buildings that are built or being built in complete contravention of
building bylaws. Old houses that are re-sold or renovated are replaced with
multi-storied units on nearly 1,200 sqft sital area, with 30 feet road - and
balconies that are extended to the road, with lack of setbacks, blocking
neighbouring houses' access to air and light. Seeing Satya's perseverance, a
couple of affected property owners gathered courage and have joined her in the
legal fight against their neighbours.
"I first write letters to BBMP about the
violations and as usual, they are ignored. Next, I file complaints with the
Lokayukta about dereliction of duty. When the missive goes from Lokayukta, the
engineers act. Building inspections are done, demolition notices are issued.
But at this stage, the process gets derailed when the violators approach KAT and
get a stay. Once the case goes to the KAT court, the hearings come up once in
six months or eight months. I spend a lot of money, time and energy on this and
I am getting fed up," says Satya. Her crusade has left her with not many
friends. When Satya left her parental home in 1970s to Washington, the locality
was pristine. When she returned in 2008, it was a mess. "Majority of
houses have been converted into multi-storied dwelling units. It's fine as long
as they stick to the rules," she adds.