Activists slam chief of road committee

Activists slam chief of road committee
‘Complainants Being Kept Out Of Meetings’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The expert committee constituted to review the BBMP’s road-widening project is facing flak over alleged non-compliance with the court’s directive. Yellappa Reddy, former environment secretary and chairman of the committee, has come under fire for allegedly keeping citizens away from the committee’s proceedings.
In June, the high court constituted a seven-member committee headed by Reddy to address concerns over the widening of 91 roads in the city, as highlighted in PIL filed by the Environment Support Group (ESG). Leo F Saldanha of ESG on Friday told reporters Reddy was inviting respondents to meetings while keeping complainants away.
“Not a single member of the public has been involved in the committee’s proceedings. On July 24, we were asked to keep off the meeting... the court had given us a wonderful opportunity to ensure transparency and public engagement in the process of correcting the wrong, but it’s being wasted,’’ Saldanha said.
Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee of CIVIC Bangalore, said by denying complainants a platform, the chairman was denying natural justice. According to the complainants, the road-widening project — along with Namma Metro — could lead to the felling of about 40,000 trees. It is expected to affect, directly and indirectly, 5 lakh people.
The BBMP and other respondents have been continuing with the drive in violation of the court directive, the complainants maintained. The convener of the committee has also been rejecting submissions made by petitioners on behalf of the affected communities, like traders on Avenue Road and Bazaar Street.
‘Panel overstepped jurisdiction’
ESG has also targeted Reddy over his decision to take up site visits on the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), which, it pointed out, was beyond the committee’s jurisdiction. “An empowered committee under the chief secretary is dealing with the BMIC issue. Why should the committee formed exclusively for the road-widening project, handle affairs of the BMIC?’’ Saldanha asked, alleging that NICE (promoters of BMIC) is exploiting its access to the committee. The committee members are set for a site visit on the road, near Electronic City, on Saturday.

IN HIS DEFENCE...
Why do they insist on their presence in the meetings when three experts — that they themselves had recommended — are part of the proceedings? Is it because they don’t have faith in their choice of experts? When the committee is discussing serious technical issues and the progress of its recommendations, they can’t barge in and make the meeting an open field for all. Regarding the inspection of BMIC, the committee is only following up on a request for permission made by NICE to transplant certain trees that fall on the BMIC alignment.