Latest news with #KFDC
Time of India
20 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
After a century, Bengaluru set to get new biodiversity park
Bengaluru: After over a century since the formation of Lalbagh Botanical Garden and Sri Chamarajendra Park (Cubbon Park), Bengaluru is set to get a mega biodiversity park for the public on a sprawling 153.4 acres of Madappanahalli reserve forest area near Yelahanka, which currently has an eucalyptus plantation raised by the KFDC. The forest department, over the next few months, will clear the eucalyptus plantation, plant native tree species in two-and-a-half years, and convert the landscape into a much-needed lung space for growing North Bengaluru. Kickstarting the process of setting up the biodiversity park, the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) on Monday handed over the reserve park back to the forest department in the presence of forest minister Eshwar Khandre. "Long ago, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru, developed a floral park and set up a tower. Subsequently, in 1760, Hyder Ali developed Lalbagh Botanical Garden on 240 acres of land, and the British developed Cubbon Park in 1870 on 197 acres. But since then, Bengaluru has not seen the development of any mega park. After over a year, we are close to seeing the development of yet another mega biodiversity park," he said. Khandre said in a few months, the department will clear eucalyptus, which has already been banned by the govt, and start work on the park. "I have directed the officials to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) within the legal framework based on suggestions from biodiversity experts and citizens over the next two months. CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar will lay the foundation for the park. We have planned to complete the work over the next 2.5 years. The govt has given Rs 20 crore in the first phase," he added. Khandre said there are suggestions to create Basaveshwara medicinal garden, Kempegowda mini zoo, BR Ambedkar aviary, Indira Gandhi biopark, and Saalumarada Thimmakka tree park in the area. "BDA's Shivaram Karanth layout is nearby and the airport is also in the vicinity, and the biopark will be a major attraction in future," he added. Greens bat for lung space During an interaction with locals and forest officials, the minister received responses ranging from setting up an arboretum, germplasm bank on the lines of the famous Kew Gardens of London offering a scientific perspective to students, butterfly park, tree conservation reserve, recreation of Western Ghats species under microclimatic conditions, promotion of ecotourism, and bamboo grove with water bodies. However, conservationists differed with the idea of the govt. "Converting a reserve forest into a tree or biopark involves a lot of legal issues and environmental impacts. The state may have to obtain permission from the Centre. Clearing eucalyptus is a good decision, but at the same time, forest landscapes do not involve human activities, while bioparks involve tourism and human activities. If the govt's intention is to create a lung space, it should retain the landscape as a forest and develop it as a buffer to the nearby Jarakbande Kaval, where there is already thriving wildlife, and only part of this area can be permitted for human activity with temporary structures just like Turahalli forest," said a conservationist from Shivamogga. Braj Kishore Singh, former PCCF, advised the govt that it should regenerate the natural forest with native tree species. "Regeneration of forest in any landscape, especially surrounded by human habitation, will act as a natural lung space. The govt must also consider regeneration of sandalwood in the area." Allaying the concerns, Khandre said: "We will allow only what has been permitted within the reserve forest areas. If need be, we will get clearance from the Centre before chalking out plans. But we will not allow any non-forest activity in the area." Box: IN THE PIPELINE Forest: Madappanahalli Reserve Forest Area: 153.4 acres Location: Madappanahalli-Singanayakanahalli (Yelahanka) Year of notification: 1935 Leased to KFDC: 1988 Expiry of lease: 2016 Withdrawal of the land: 2025 Flora: 800 species of native trees along with lakhs of eucalyptus trees
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
153 acre green space to come up soon in North Bengaluru
A 153-acre plot of forest land in Madappanahalli near Yelahanka, belonging to the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation Limited (KFDC), was handed over to the Forest Department on Monday for development into a biological park. KFDC Chairman Basavaraju Neelappa Shivannavar formally handed over the land to Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, who said a huge biological park would be developed on that piece of land in the coming days. Mr. Khandre said that the proposed park would be a much-needed green space for north Bengaluru once developed. He said that centuries after the Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park were developed, Bengaluru would be getting a green space of this magnitude. DPR to be prepared He added that a detailed project report will be prepared in the next two months for the development of this plot following which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will lay the foundation stone for the park. An Indira Gandhi Biological Park, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Bird Park, Kempegowda Zoo, Saalumarada Thimmakka Arboretum among others are being planned to be set up, the minister said. The KFDC had planted Eucalyptus trees in this plot which will be cleared and local tree species along with various species of plants and trees native to the Western Ghats would also be planted. ₹20 crore sanctioned Currently, in this 153 acre plot, there are 800 trees along with Eucalyptus, they will be protected, he said. Mr. Khandre said an initial amount of ₹20 crore will be sanctioned for the construction of this park and that the entire plot has been fenced to protect it from encroachment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Wayanad KFDC office attack: NIA submits chargesheet against Maoists
Kochi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet on Saturday in a case registered in connection with the 2023 attack on Kerala forest development corporation (KFDC) office in Wayanad. The attack was allegedly perpetrated by suspected members of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit. Four Maoist operatives — C P Moidheen, Manoj, Santhosh and Soman— arrested by NIA in coordination with Kerala anti-terrorist squad (ATS) were named as accused in the chargesheet. The final report was submitted before the NIA special court in Kochi. Two other suspects remain at large and the central agency is continuing efforts to nab them. The case pertains to the attack on Sept 28, 2023, when six armed assailants stormed into the KFDC office. The ultras brandished firearms and threatened the office manager under the pretext of discussing grievances faced by employees. The office was then vandalised with an iron rod, damaging equipment and infrastructure. The gang also put up posters on walls and directed the manager to click images of the posters and send them to six mobile numbers, which were reportedly connected to their network. NIA took over the probe in 2024 to investigate a larger conspiracy behind the act and connections to other Maoist activities in the region.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
NIA charge sheets three Maoist guerrillas in 2023 Kerala forest office attack
New Delhi: Three Maoists guerillas from the Kabani Dalam squad were named in the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a Special Kerala court in connection with the armed attack on the Kerala Forest Department Corporation (KFDC) office at Wayanad in 2023, said an official on Saturday. The charge sheet was filed before the Special Court, Ernakulam, against the three members of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) terrorist organisation on Friday. Those named in the chargesheet are C.P. Moideen alias Girish alias Salil alias Sajan, Manoj P.M. alias Ashique, and P.K. Soman alias Shahid alias Akbar. They have been charged under various sections of the IPC, Arms Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Kerala Forest Act, 1961 and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, said an NIA official. A total of five members of CPI (Maoist), armed with deadly weapons, had unlawfully assembled and criminally trespassed into the KFDC office on September 28, 2023, said the chargesheet. They had restrained the KFDC Manager and damaged public property and equipment using iron rods. Raising Maoist slogans, the men had also pasted CPI (Maoist) posters in the office premises, it said. After the incident, four attackers were arrested subsequently by the law enforcement agencies, and one had surrendered before the police. The NIA, which took over the case a few days later, found during the investigation that C.P. Moideen, Manoj P.M., and P.K. Sonam, along with H. S. Ravindra alias Kotehonda Ravialias alias Manoj alias Ramu and Santhosh Kumar A alias Sandhosh Kumar alias Raja, were members of the Military Wing People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of CPI (Maoist). They had formed a local guerrilla squad named Kabani Dalam in Wayanad forests, and were actively engaged in acts of terrorism, aimed at spreading fear among the public and destabilising the government. The attack at KFDC was part of their violent anti-national agenda, the NIA said.
