Environmentalists oppose memorial for Dr Vishnuvardhan

The memorial for cine star Vishnuvardhan has got stuck in another controversy, as the two-acre land allotted to it in Mylasandra village, Kengeri hobli, Bangalore Urban district is heavily forested. As per law, about 1,500 varied saplings and nearly 500 trees on that land cannot be felled. The Dr Vishnuvardhan Prathishtana, a government-private trust set up nearly five years ago, when the cine star died, has been waiting for land since then, to build a memorial similar to the one built for matinee idol Rajkumar, in the governmentowned Kanteerava Studios.
But the Vishnuvardhan memorial has gone from one problem to another, as land was first allotted at Abhiman Studios for it. Abhiman Studios, though, is private land owned by another late cine star Balakrishna, and his daughter objected to parting with some of it for the memorial.
On August 6, the Prathishtana sought permission via the then Kannada, culture and information secretary Shalini Rajneesh, asking the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike commissioner to direct the authorities concerned to cut the trees. The letter, signed by the IAS officer, who was then also holding charge of the Kanteerava Studios, says: “The deputy commissioner of Bangalore urban district has allotted two-acre land to construct the Dr Vishnuvardhan memorial at Mylasandra village.
Land records are obtained accordingly. As the extent of flat land in the area has to be identified to prepare a plan for the proposed project, and plants and trees have grown in the land allotted by the government, it is proposed to clear them, if required, and utilise them for construction activity. Hence, besides giving permission to clear plantstrees, it is hereby requested to intimate the respective tree officer.“
The land is part of over five hundred acres of B M Kaval forest that was notified as a forest reserve through a state government notifica tion in 1934-35. So, this move to cut the trees and plants on that land would be a violation of the Forest Conservation Act (1980). The BBMP's forest cell has taken a stand that a decision will be taken on the Prathisthana's letter `'as per law.''.
“As of date, there is no formal request from them for felling permission. However, the issue will be looked into holistically before giving any permission in this regard,“ Brijesh Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, BBMP, told BANGALORE MIRROR.
Eco-activists are upset at the move. “Why should the trees be cut?
The whole initiative will make sense and be more meaningful if they save trees, retain the existing wildlife and construct a memorial amidst them.That is one area where sandalwood trees are densely grown,'' former environment secretary A N Yellappa Reddy said, adding: “Even Dr Vishnuvardhan was an individual who had concern to flora and fauna.“
Reddy contended that the act of allotting forest land for the memorial is questionable as the state govern ment officials don't have jurisdiction and it amounts to violation of Forest Conservation Act. “Such relaxation can be done only in extraordinary cases and has to be approved by the central government. The law is a law for everybody and doesn't differ with individuals,'' he said.
However, the actor's family made it clear that they were very concerned about existing trees and had already conveyed to government that they would be working to save as many trees as possible while realising the memorial project.
Vishnuvardhan's son-in-law Anirudh said: “The forest land is only beside it and we are aware that using any such land requires the Centre's approval. We have equested the government to save as many trees as possible.As of now, the proposal is to have the memorial on one side and get a Film and Television Institute of India on the other side. Cutting trees will make no sense. We have told the government to have a rainwater harvesting facility and a solar unit to ensure the place runs on natural resources.“