Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday suggested that the State government should lease out government land instead of granting it to people so that it can be taken back whenever it is required for public purposes.

Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh said that a sub-committee headed by the Revenue Minister should consider this suggestion to prevent alienation of government land granted to people for cultivation around Bangalore city.

Incidentally, the sub-committee headed by the Revenue Minister was constituted by the State in response to the court’s earlier suggestion to have a relook of the land grant policy.

Reiterating its earlier observation that granted land is falling in the hands of unscrupulous persons, the court said that in many instances the land granted for landless individuals for cultivation are being cultivated by unauthorised persons. The court also asked the State to keep in mind the cost that the government has to pay when it has to buy back the granted land.

The suggestions were made while hearing a petition filed by one Radhamma of Chunchanakuppe village of Bangalore South taluk in connection with the cancellation of granted land.

While the government claimed that she was neither in possession of the property nor was her name shown there in the records, the petitioner contended that “saguvali” chit was not issued despite an order from the committee for regularisation of unauthorised occupation in 1999.