‘Development not destroying green belt’

‘Development not destroying green belt’
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government’s decision to open up parts of Green belt area in and around Bangalore city for an ‘orderly growth’ to help the growing population and also promote industrial activity till 2015 has come under attack.

Popular advocate N D R Ramachandra Rao, who has taken up many issues concerning people of Bangalore city, has regretted that the Green belt area, under the revised Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), had shrunk from 742 square Km to 494 square Km to provide for a projected urbanisation of 221 square Km.

The Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) contention that non- revision of the CDP would result in unauthorised development does not hold good.

By revising the CDP, the government and the BDA has thrown to the winds the maintenance of ecology in and around Bangalore especially in view of the fact that the authorities have already allowed destruction of vast green belt area under the original CDP, Rao pointed out.

"The Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act provides for revising the CDP once in 10 years and the term ‘revision’ used in this provision only meant further development and not destroying the existing Green belt area when no action has been taken by the authorities either to demolish or remove unauthorised constructions that have taken place in the Green belt area."

Rao has also referred to the writ petition filed by environmentalist B Krishna Bhat before the High court seeking a writ of mandamus directing the government and the BDA from shifting the green belt rea originally earmarked as Green belt area in 1984.

The court, besides directing the BDA and the government not to permit any further costruction in the Green belt area, had also appointed an advocate Prabha Murthy as the Court commissioner to conduct local investigations regarding unauthorised constructions and other impermissible activities inside the green belt area.

The Court Commissioner reported that about 336 layouts, 13 resorts and about 42 crushers had formed in the green belt area. The petition is pending disposal but the authorities have failed to take action against those responsible for unauthorised construction.

To cater to the needs of growing population, destroying and usurping the existing green belt area is not the solution. Any urbanisation to cope with the growing population can be effected on the areas beyond the green belt area.

Inspite of several rulings and observations by the judiciary and though there were many laid down guidelines and procedures under law, the BDA and the government had taken a total departure in attempting to revise the CDP by taking over existing green belt area for the purpose of urbanisation, especially industries, Rao added.