BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state government, civic agencies and private organisations on a PIL against alleged unauthorised constructions by those organisations, who have occupied leased land in the Cubbon Park premises.Hearing the petition filed by Cubbon Park Walkers Association, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of Horticulture Department, Public Works Department, and BWSSB.
The bench also issued notice to the various organisations such as Century Club, Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), Karnataka Government Secretariat Club, Karnataka State Government Employees Association, The Press Club and YMCA, for allegedly putting up constructions illegally.
Contending it is highly aggrieved by the constructions which have come up, and are coming up, in the Cubbon Park area, contrary to the directions of the High Court in 2001, the petitioner prayed the court to issue directions to remove the same and restore the park to its original glory and restrain the organisations who have occupied land on lease in the park from further construction.
The Association alleged that the fresh constructions are carried out contrary to the provisions of the Karnataka Parks, Play-Field and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 1985. Providing photographs in support of the alleged illegal constructions in the Cubbon Park, the petitioner pointed out the construction of a Hopcoms shop by Horticulture Department, construction by Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, operating tertiary treatment plant by BWSSB, swimming pool by Century Club, swimming pool and an extra tennis court by KSLTA, generator room and tennis court by Secretariat Club, NGO Hall by Karnataka State Government Employees Association, and new structures by The Press Club and YMCA, within the park premises.