BENGALURU: The members of CJ Memorial Trust on Saturday started a signature campaign to save the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AHVS) hospital land, on Queens Road, from allegedly being acquired for the creation of a silk showroom.
The members pointed out that this is one of the few government land parcels left in Bengaluru, for the treatment of animals and birds.
In the petition, members stated that land parcels in other places like Jeevanahalli and Chamarajpet have already been lost. “We were perturbed when acres of heritage vet hospital in Chamarajpet was transferred to the minorities commission for schools. Citizens and the courts stopped this action. Also, earlier AHVS land at Malleswaram was given on rent, while the government clinic occupied a small space in the basement. Many critical government veterinary clinics were shut down and vets transferred back. We are also losing about 10,000 sqft of heritage super specialty veterinary hospital on Queens Road to Karnataka Silk Board department for a silk store and office. Land designated to aid sick animals are being re-purposed to sell fashion.”
However officials from Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation (KSIC) and AHVS rubbished the claims. Managing Director of KSIC Zahera Naseem said that a showroom and office is coming up on Queens Road but not on the land belonging to the veterinary hospital. “We are not touching any land in the hospital premises. We are undertaking construction in the space opposite the hospital, and the two spaces are not related.”
Adding to this, Director of AHVS Dr Manjunath S Palegar said that inside the hospital, construction of a two storey building has been undertaken to admit ailing and injured animals. “In the first phase of construction, OPD, operation theatre, clinic and office space has been completed. Now work is on to construct a dog spa, laser and X-ray treatment rooms and house super speciality treatment equipment. There seems to be confusion among people with the ongoing constructions,” he said.