Heritage Park at Vaccine Institute delayed
11:22 AM Posted by ukmad
How good the proposed heritage park at the Vaccine Institute here will look if the Government goes ahead with its plan to provide facilities it has on its agenda at the institute?
The Belgaum Urban Development Authority (BUDA) has planned walkers pathway, joggers pathway, swimming pool (international standard), children’s amusement park and zoo, musical fountain and waterfalls/hanging bridge, boating, landscapes, art gallery, mono rail, recreation club, snack centre (with canteen and ice cream parlor), badminton hall/shuttles/billiards, volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis courts and medicinal plants.
In contrast to this typical bureaucratic approach to preserving heritage, local environmental organizations and activists have come out with suggestions to develop the park in a way befitting its name “heritage park” instead of developing the institute into a modern public garden. There are 22 public gardens in the city, many of which are symbolic of the indifferent attitude of those concerned towards such beautiful lung spaces.
The Social Justice Forum, headed by Chief Executive Officer of Polyhydron Pvt. Ltd., S.B. Hundre, who converted his company into a “business ashram” by blending business and ethics, has suggested that an expert committee be appointed to propose steps and monitor all development activities on the institute without harming its ecology.
Meanwhile, there have been conflicting views on appointing an outside agency for consultation and to take up development works. However, the BUDA, which had convened a meeting to elicit views from environmentalists, architects and consultants on the issue on November 3, has promised more such meetings. Sources in the BUDA told The Hindu here on Tuesday that the matter is under consideration. However, the delay in completing the process of developing the proposed heritage park is making organizations and voluntary activists impatient.
Source The Hindu
Vaccine Depot SAVED! Government to look for alternative site for Suvarna Vidhana Soudha
7:50 AM Posted by ukmad
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa appears to have yielded to pressure from a few elected representatives of Belgaum district to reconsider the decision on going ahead with the construction of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on the Vaccine Institute premises here.
After a closed door meeting with officials, BJP MPs Prabhakar B. Kore and Suresh C. Angadi, and a few BJP legislators here on Saturday, Mr. Yeddyurappa announced at a press conference that the Government would look for an alternative site for the project in view of the “second opinion” of the local elected representatives.
The previous Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition Government had decided to construct the Vidhana Soudha on the Vaccine Institute premises. The Social Justice Forum and other environmental groups have been opposing any construction activity on the premises in view of ecological reasons.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said the district administration had been asked to identify alternative sites as there were no proper approach roads to the Vaccine Institute. The former Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy had performed “bhoomi puja” in presence of Mr. Yeddyurappa in August last.Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the final decision on the project site would be taken in a month and construction would start soon. The project would be completed in two years, he added.
Winter session
Earlier, at a function he said that the dates for holding the winter session of the legislature in Belgaum would be announced soon. The Government would hold the proposed world Kannada meet here before December, he said.
This blog had been in the fore front for raising this issue of saving Vaccine Depot. It may not have a made an impact on the Govt. But the thing that many came forward to save it is all that was needed. Tjanks for your suport.
