The Whitefield Rising Trust has taken their plea against the Karnataka High Court’s dismissal of their PIL regarding encroachments at Siddapura Lotus Pond in east Bengaluru to the Supreme Court. A vacation bench of the apex court has issued notices to the Karnataka government, BBMP, and other respondents, granting them time until July 11, 2024, to file their responses.=
The Karnataka High Court had previously dismissed the petition on September 27, 2023, noting that the petitioner failed to establish from revenue records that Siddapura Lotus Pond is located on canal land in survey no. 7 of Siddapura village, Varthur Hobli. The court emphasized that the records only designate the area as Mufat Kaval sarkari kunte land.
The Whitefield Rising Trust alleged that two private individuals are constructing a multi-storey commercial building after acquiring 4 guntas of land in August 2021. This land was reportedly granted by the government as compensation for land acquired from them for the Ashraya scheme in 2012.