State defends war memorial plan at park

State defends war memorial plan at park

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 14 Apr 2010 04:32:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 14 Apr 2010 08:53:51 AM IST
BANGALORE: The state government on Tuesday submitted in the High Court that the objective of constructing a war memorial at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain park was to motivate the people to join the defence forces.
Advocate General Ashok Harnahalli submitted before a division bench headed by Justice Manjula Chellur that nearly 1500 war heroes from Karnataka had sacrificed their lives for the country. The proposed war memorial was an underground construction in nature and it would not harm the environment, Harnahalli said.
Apart from four eucalyptus trees, no other tree would be cut, the AG said. The war memorial activities would be restricted to remembering our great war heroes, he said. The court told the state that the war memorial should not be misused for marriages and parties. It extended the interim order restraining the authorities from cutting the trees.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that based on a complaint by a few citizens from Vasanthnagar and Ali Askar Road, the Governor had written a letter to the Chief Minister on March 30. The Governor had stated that the construction of the war memorial opposite to Raj Bhavan would not only affect the green cover, but would also cause traffic congestion and security hazards.
“The objective of constructing a war memorial is extremely laudable and I would suggest the construction of the memorial in a proper place. The appropriate place is the Cantonment,” the Governor's letter said, the petitioner’s counsel said. Krishna Apartment Owners Welfare Association had filed the petition against the construction of the war memorial at the park.