Urban News

The Deccan Chronicle  22.10.2010

Oct. 21: Bowing to pressure from environmentalists and the people, the state government finally decided to notify the Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra as a Biodiversity Heritage Site. The department of forest, environment and ecology has issued a notification in this regard. It may be recalled that a few months ago BBMP had proposed a connecting road through the GKVK campus, which was later dropped following widespread protests and legal battles.

According to the notification, a Biodiversity Heritage Site tag is given with the purpose of conserving biodiversity, sustainable use of components of biodiversity, fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources available at GKVK.

According to the sources, the decision to confer the heritage tag to GKVK was taken at the Karnataka Biodiversity Board meeting held on September 8 and subsequently, the government issued notification. A total of 167 hectare (412 acres) of land including 40 hectare of scrub forest, 28 hectare of park and 99 hectare of plantation and orchards have been notified for the purpose. But, interestingly, the rest of the 392 hectare (968 acres) of land has been excluded from the notification. This includes building and other open areas.

The notification says out that as per the survey, the university campus has a rich biodiversity includes — mammals-13 species, reptiles-10 species, birds-165 species and plant species- 530 — making the GKVK campus the greenest area of the city.

According to the notification, GKVK has been asked to come out with a separate management team with proper planning to monitor the activities carried out inside the notified heritage site. GKVK authorities have also been directed to ensure proper representation to local residents in the management of the heritage site. It is also warned that if authorities carry out any activities which are against the provisions of the Biodiversity Act, the government will reconsider its decision.

But GKVK officials are not happy with the government notification. Speaking to this newspaper, a senior officer said they expected heritage site status for the entire campus. “According to the notification, only a small part of the campus has been given this tag. The remaining area is left unprotected. It looks like the whole exercise is an eye wash to grab the GKVK land for other commercial purposes,” he alleged.