Proposed library at People’s Park books new row

Mysore, May 27 2012, DHNS:

Greens resent MCC’s move to allow development

After people’s protest against revision in water cess, another stir is showing all signs of gaining momentum here.

This time it’s for green cause, with environmentalists taking up the cudgel against the libraries department. The department has plans to build a library at People’s Park opposite KSRTSC sub-urban bus stand in the city.

In a joint protest on Sunday, members of Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), Mysore Youth Forum and Parisara Samrakshana Samithi planted 10 saplings in a place away from the prohibited zone in the park. Though the issue is not new with MCC and environmentalists locked over the issue from the past 15 years, it’s a row in the making in the recent days.

The agitators alleged that Library Authority set up barriers overnight, around the proposed site and erected a signboard prohibiting trespassers. The high court has ordered to maintain status quo.

Further strange is that the Mayor sending a letter to the Police Commissioner on Saturday evening, requesting severe action against the protesters. The mayor was fretted about environmentalists planting saplings in the protected area. MCC does not take any action against violators of building bylaws or those who encroach public property, but it is quick to take against law abiders, the protesters alleged.

They further alleged that, MCC has failed to initiate against various encroachers of People's Park, while the city corporation itself is on the wrong side for dumping pavement debris in the park. It appears that MCC has a master plan to destroy People's Park, so that this valuable real estate can be sold for commercial activities, starting from the library.

People should urge their representatives to take back the land given to the library by MCC, remove all encroachments, take back the land given for tennis courts (we have learnt that the present lease of the courts has expired), and maintain this very precious lung space of Mysore.

The tree guards were provided by Raghulal and Co. Senior citizens of Mysore H R Bapu Satyanarayana, Dr K A Kushalapa, Dr B N Jayaram, B R Pai, Andal Siddharthacharry, Prof M. Umapathy and CAVA artists, Shoaib and his colleagues took part in the protest.

SOURCE: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/252653/proposed-library-peoples-park-books.html