Mysore's library row gets murkier

MYSORE: The city centre library project, which has already kicked up a storm over its location in the city's prime park, seems to be heading for more trouble. 

The private firm, with which the department of public libraries had signed an agreement in 1994 to construct the library-cum-commercial complex, has petitioned the high court to allow it to implement the now revived project. 

The firm, now seems to be trying to fish in the troubled waters, argues that the agreement still holds significance as it was not explicitly cancelled by the government though it shelved the project. Meanwhile, the department of public libraries has made its stand clear that the project will not be utilized for commercial purposes which is one of the primary concerns of the activists opposing it. 

"There is clear directive from the government that the project should be taken up with public funding. We are following it. Now that we have taken up the long-pending project with public funding, the private firm which had signed the agreement earlier, has opposed it and approached the court. There will be no commercialization of the project," B Manjunath, deputy director of the department of public libraries told TOI. 

"We have got the notice and are preparing our case. We will intimate the court about the government's directive," he said and added that the groundwork will start from June end. 

BONE OF CONTENTION While the government dropped the library-cum-commercial complex project, it did not cancel the agreement signed with the private firm on May 25, 1994. 

The plan was to construct a complex on BOOT basis and transfer the property to the department after 30 years. The project is pending since 1984 after the government allowed 400 ft X 340 ft plot in the park to the department. While the activists are getting ready to create awareness about the importance of the People's Park which serves as lung space in the crowed central business district, the officials are moving in to secure the land by fencing the mega plot. 

"We are not against the library project. But we are opposing its location. Our awareness drive is to tell people the importance of the open space," Bhamy V Shenoy of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP), which is spearheading the 'save park' campaign, said. 

It is a prime property located in front of the KSRTC suburban bus stand which could be utilized for commercial gains. There are evidences to this as the officials included a commercial complex in the proposed library building, he said. The MGP is planning to file a PIL. 

Manjunath said it was a mistake that the department thought to house a commercial complex in the library but attributed it to lack of funds. 

According to officials, 50 per cent of the Rs 4.08-crore project will come from the library cess collected by the MCC. The rest will be funded by the state libraries authority.

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Mysores-library-row-gets-murkier/articleshow/13834974.cms