No to musical fountain & laser shows at Lalbagh

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/no-to-rock-music-laser-at-lalbagh

The Karnataka State Government has prepared a blueprint for developing a rock garden and a musical fountain in the sprawling green space of the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens.

The Horticulture Department, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) would jointly undertake both projects at an estimated cost of Rs. 65 crore approximately and work would commence soon.

A blueprint has been prepared to give a totally different look to Lalbagh on the lines of the botanical garden of Singapore by claiming to retain Lalbaghs native originality, without disturbing the flora and fauna.

For gardeners, spring is a race against time. But for the State government, summer is a time to plan sprucing up Lalbagh: adding a musical fountain and a rock garden to the floral display and the green foliage that the sprawling, picturesque acres in the heart of the City is known for.

It/This is a perfect case of the fence eating the crop. The Karnataka Horticulture Department, which shoulders the responsibility of protecting and preserving Lalbagh Gardens, is set to axe the precious green cover in the State's only botanical gardens.

In its zeal to emulate Singapore's famous Sentosa Island, the department will chop off nearly 10 full-grown trees to make way for a musical fountain and a laser show. However, the department has kept this fact under wraps, fearing protests. Even Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has not been informed about the need for cutting the trees for the project, it is said.

As per the blueprint of the project prepared by the department, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald, the proposed musical fountain will come up on the foot of the Kempe Gowda monolithic in front of the Cacti House inside the garden.

An artificial pond, measuring 100/40 ft, will be constructed at this location to put up the fountain. This place is presently covered by nearly 20 trees, and at least 10 of them are planned to be cleared. The project is aimed at entertaining visitors through the fountain and the laser show, which will depict the history of Bangalore.

The department's plan has come close on the heels of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) cutting over a dozen trees for the metro rail project. The garden shrunk by 350 metres and lost 15 trees as a result.

The Lalbagh Botanical gardens, developed partially in 1760 by Hyder Ali and completed by his son Tipu / Tippu Sultan, is spread across 240 acres. It is a veritable treasure house of plants. Nearly 673 genera and 1,854 species of plants are found in Lalbagh.

Besides, the gardens house several species of birds. A laser show is bound to disturb the nightlife of birds. Now, there is space to park 350 four-wheelers. If more activities are held, then there is will be more visitors and vehicles to pollute the gardens.

The chief minister okayed the project during his recent visit to Lalbagh. According to official sources, soon after securing the chief minister's nod, the department quickly placed the project proposal before the state Cabinet seeking its approval.

"The Cabinet note does not have any details of the project. In fact, the detailed project report is yet to be prepared. The department on its own prepared a rough estimate of the entire project, including the cost, and placed it before the Cabinet," sources pointed out.

The Cabinet on Monday approved a Rs 84 crore project, including the proposed musical fountain and rock garden, to give a facelift to Lalbagh botanical garden. Announcing this to reporters, Home Minister V S Acharya said the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has been entrusted with the implementation of the musical fountain and rock garden with the assistance of the Horticulture Department.

The area of Lalbagh is about 240 acres.

Lalbagh proposed additions: rock garden, musical fountain

Lalbagh Botanical garden
Attracts an average 8,000 people every day
Nearly 15,000 people visit the gardens on a holiday
People come mainly to enjoy the greenery

After the completion of the projects at Lalbagh
There will be entertainment also/too
The number of visitors to increase considerably

Proposed musical fountain and laser show
Total estimated cost/investment Rs 35 crore
To increase revenue
To come up at the lake in Lalbagh at the foot of the Kempe Gowda rock facing the historical glass house
To be designed on the lines of the famous Sentosa Island of Singapore
To be modelled like a fountain in Singapore
To resemble one in Singapore
To be kept open to public only in the evenings
Blueprint ready
Claimed to be as a dream of late Ramakrishna Hegde (to have a musical fountain in Lalbagh)
Claimed to be being created now as a mark of respect to the departed leader
To attract people

Proposed rock garden project
Claims to be aesthetic as well as educative
Claims to house several types of plants and trees to be brought here from various parts of the world
To come up on 40 acres of low-lying land in the park
The total estimated cost/investment Rs 30 crore
Inspired by one at Sentosa island in Singapore
To be developed along the lines of the rock garden in Chandigarh, the Nek Chand's rock garden
To come up or to be built near the Kempe Gowda tower in the park / garden
Well-designed blue-print with seating arrangements ready
Claimed as a dream project of former chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde
Claimed to be conceived during RKH's tenure but dropped due to several reasons
Experts in the field of architecture and sculptures to be consulted before the work begins
Monolithic rock formation to be developed into a garden
Seats to ensure that visitors/people watched the laser show by/after sitting or getting themselves seated

Laser show
To showcase the evolution of Bangalore from the Garden City to the IT capital of India
To tell the tale of the growth of Bendakaluru to the city of Bengaluru
To depict Bangalore's/Bangalore history to the local / regional / national / global people / tourists

Entry fee not decided yet
Plans to have two laser shows of one hour duration each in the evening
3,000 people to be able to watch the show at a time

In the last financial year 2009-10, Lalbagh Botanical Gardens collected a revenue of Rs 2.03 crore by way of entry fee and flower shows (gate collection). Both projects are expected to fetch additional revenue for the state government in the coming days.

Mobilisation of funds for the project
The amount earned through the sale of Lalbagh land to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. would be utilized for the purpose.

Centre has/had agreed to release Rs. 152 crore to the Karnataka Horticulture department under the National Horticultural Mission (NHM) in 2010-11.

It's also been decided to utilize Rs. 500 crore for a plantation programme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNRE Act) this year. As much as Rs. 120 crore has already been spent under the job scheme for the plantation programme.

Food park / court
To be constructed near the Siddapura gate for the visitors
Media report claims that the Chief minister agreed that food should be available to visitors to the garden

Creation of an artificial mega waterfalls on the rock (facing Siddapura)
By the partial utilization of Rs.30 crore
To mimic the Niagara Falls
To be modelled on the Niagara Falls
By using the cleaned water from the Lalbagh lake although Lalbagh like the rest of the city faces a severe drinking water shortage

Plans are on the cards to create an artificial water falls on the rock (facing Siddapura), where quarry was done long ago. Water from the Lalbagh lake is to be used for this purpose.

Monolithic rock
Is spread over 33 acre in the Lalbagh
To be beautified by developing small gardens wherever possible
Has several patches of mud presently covered with weeds
Mud patches to be converted into gardens without causing any damage to the original rock formation

To give facelift to the gardens
Desilting of the lake, development of island at the lake, construction of toilets, lawns, walking tracks and others will be taken up to give a facelift to the gardens.

Lalbagh lake to be desilted for rejuvenation, beautification and illumination

While officials insisted in April 2009 that the bird life has/had improved after the rejuvenation of the lake, birdwatchers said that it has, in fact, dwindled. "The presence of over 20 purple morants signified good vegetation earlier. However, authorities are removing the vegetation growth on the quarry side. Shoreline vegetation is very important to maintain good bird life," M.B. Krishna, an ardent birdwatcher said.

THE KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT PARKS (PRESERVATION) ACT, 1975
An Act to make provision to ensure the preservation of certain Government parks in the State of Karnataka.

4. Preservation of parks.- (1) It shall be the duty of the State Government to preserve and maintain as horticultural gardens the parks to which this Act is applicable and take such action as may be necessary to improve the utility of such parks as such gardens.
(2) No land or building within the parks to which this Act is applicable shall be alienated by way of sale, lease, gift, exchange, mortgage or otherwise or no licence for the use of any such land or building shall be granted and any alienation made or licence granted in contravention of this section shall be null and void:
Provided that the restriction under this sub-section to lease shall not apply in the case of buildings existing on the date of coming force of this Act.
1[5. x x x ]1
1. Inserted by Act 24 of 1976 and Omitted by Act 30 of 1982 w.e.f. 9.1.1976

Conclusion: We appeal to the all the persons / individuals agencies / officials / concerned not to destroy the Lalbagh Botanical Garden and its flora and fauna in the name of development by constructing rock garden, musical fountain and organizing laser shows. The construction of toilets / loos would be in violation of THE KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT PARKS (PRESERVATION) ACT, 1975.