Bangalore University faces protests over plan to cut 419 trees for new academic block

Time of India

4 days ago

Bengaluru: Bangalore University's decision to cut 419 trees to build a new academic block has sparked controversy, with a group of citizens and environmentalists protesting against the decision.
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BU has maintained that this is not from the land allocated for bio-park.
The new wave of protest started after the office of the deputy conservator of forest of BBMP invited public opinion on the removal of trees.
BU planned to build an academic building as part of the PM-Usha scheme. Under the scheme of the central govt, BU will receive a grant of Rs 100 crore. Of this, 60% will be funded by the centre and 40% by the state. As per BU's plans, infrastructure development includes construction of an academic building and a research building at an estimated cost of Rs 58 crore.
It will be a three-storied building, spanning an area of 107,376 square feet.
The plan is to use the academic building facility for modern subjects such as digital education, distance education, science, technology, and mathematics.
The two-storied research building will cover an area of 16,163 square feet and extensive research on topics including economic development, social equality, environmental protection, sustainable development, climate change, and artificial intelligence will be conducted here, said the university.
However, the environmentalist groups are not amused. "The place chosen might not be part of the bio-park, but it is a remnant of an earlier reserve forest and needs to be preserved," said Renuka Prasad, former professor of biodiversity from the university. The construction should have started two months ago, but was delayed because of various protests. "We will not even be using 1.5 acres of land for construction. The area is not part of the bio-park.
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We will try to protect as many trees as possible. Only where the building foundation has to be built, we will cut trees," said Jayakara Shetty, BU VC.
"The land is for educational purposes. We are not deviating from that. We have to utilise the funds within a stipulated time, else we will lose the funds," he added.
Renuka Prasad said: "We are not against the development of the university. What we are saying is that trees need not be cut.
The university has around 75 acres of land encroached. With a KAS officer as registrar now, it will be easy for it to start the process of evicting the encroachment."
"There is also the option of vertical growth. Bengaluru City University, for instance, has decided on vertical growth. BU has around 130 buildings, some of them large enough to build vertically. There is also infrastructure that is not being used to its full utility.
All these can be used, instead of felling trees to find more space," he said. The group has already raised concerns about constructing buildings for University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering and National Law School of India University on the campus.
"How is the progress of the institute possible without allowing any building to come up and just preserving 1,000 acres for forest? We should have a balance. The best possible way is to ensure that a minimal area is taken up by having vertical growth. Also, the trees should be repositioned instead of being cut down," said K R Venugopal, former vice-chancellor of BU.