Rs 29 crore facelift for Lalbagh Deccan Herald Wednesday, May 26, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71629/rs-29-crore-facelift-lalbagh.html

Heavy estimated cost for each work creates ripples in official circles

The Horticulture department has planned to spend more on hard landscaping (non-organic parts) than the soft landscaping as part of the proposed Rs 29.30 crore rock garden project in Lalbagh Botanical Garden.

As much as Rs 17.05 crore is estimated to be spent towards cleaning, decorative wooden gate, dust bins, pathways, drinking water facilities, electrification, fencing and other facilities.  For the actual rock garden work (also called soft landscaping), an estimated Rs 7.25 crore will be spent.

Deccan Herald is in possession of a provisional line estimate and project plan prepared by the department for the development of rock garden. Besides landscaping, a Rs 4 crore has been estimated as the office expenses and Rs 1 crore as the consultancy services.

Many gardens to come up

As part of the soft landscaping, the department has planned to develop a Zen garden, Cacti garden, Orchid garden, Topiary garden, Moss garden, Ornamental shrubs, Bonsai garden and lawns on the rock surface. The State Cabinet has already given green signal for the implementation of both the rock garden and musical fountain projects.

What has surprised one and all in the official circles is the cost estimated for each of these works. For instance, the cost of 30 dust bins has been estimated to be Rs 15 lakh (Rs 50,000 each). Similarly, Rs 1 crore for an irrigation system, Rs 15 lakh for site cleaning, Rs 25 lakh for a decorative wooden gate and so on and so forth.

When contacted, Horticulture Director N Jayaram, however, said the details are based on the indicative line estimate procured from authorised consultants which will be technically updated and validated prior to implementation.

On the musical fountain, he said the concrete pond for the fountain will be constructed without disturbing the rock. "We will ensure that our projects does not damage the monument. We will take the permission of the GSI for this purpose, if necessary," he claimed.

Asked whether the pond will come up on the foot of the rock, he said the rock is spread across Lalbagh garden.  "It is said the same rock extends till the City town hall. Our aim is to beautify the rock and not to damage it," Jayaram asserted.

He further claimed that the department has no plans to cut any tree for these project. Instead, 50 different species of cacti, succulents and suited botanical species will be planted as part of the project. Constructions, if any, will be taken up on waste land, he said.

But, official sources said, some trees will have to be sacrificed for constructing the fountain. Though this fact has been discussed at the official level, it has not become part of any document as the detailed project report (DPR) is yet to be prepared.

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I agree that persons might be inconvenienced about my posting of the entire newspaper articles but I've not done anything unethical as I've unambiguously quoted the source and the link. I've not mentioned / declared that they are my own articles.

It's not just copy and paste. I'd to manually align each and every line, correct spelling and grammatical mistakes in some cases.

Deccan Herald's links will be available for two years and The Hindu's links will be available for five years only. That was the exact reason behind the posting of the text content.

On the contrary it is the media which is unethical. On a couple of instances (I can recall about two specific instances) Karnataka's top two regional English dailies have put their own media abbreviations for the photos which I'd taken at a great risk. That is unethical.

The Deccan Herald too is unethical because it didn't mention by name in one of its news reports regarding Lalbagh and mentioned it as a member of Mysore Grahakara Parishat. That too is unethical. Didn't it have the space to include my name when it'd quoted upteen number of citizens' views?

Citizens show thumbs down to govt's Lalbagh 'facelift' plan Deccan Herald or DH dated Thursday, May 26, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71817/citizens-show-thumbs-down-govts.html 

I'd quoted the Delhi High court order upteen number of times since October 2009 asking the agencies concerned to leave 6 ft of circumference around each tree concrete free in Mysore City too but not a single medium / media / newspaper bothered to publish it.

But when some head of an NGO whom I'd not like to identify called a press conference at the Pathrakarthara Bhavana in Mysore city they published it as his own (at least one / some of the exact sentences which I'd quoted in my press releases). So this specific instance makes almost each and every regional and local media in Mysore unethical.

Some of the top media in the state did this so-called investigative journalism about the footpaths / pedestrian infrastructure without giving me credit for discovering the exact latest rule of the Indian Road Congress or IRC norms (in its entirety) w.r.t. to minimum footpath width.

In some cases media gets the hints / clues / points from our press releases and goes and does investigative journalism on it without mentioning about the source which gave it such leads / hints / points.

Media has got a serious introspection to find out as to whether what it is doing is ethical.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused because of my posting of the entire newspaper articles. I'll refrain from posting newspaper articles in future.

It will also save my energy, time and money and the trouble of correcting spelling and grammatical mistakes (if any) and manually aligning each and every line and formatting wherever necessary in order to make them reader friendly.

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GSI dashes State's Lalbagh dreams Deccan Herald or DH Wednesday, May 25, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71614/gsi-dashes-states-lalbagh-dreams.html 

The State government's plan is to construct the musical fountain at the foot of the monolithic rock formation (at the western base area of the Kempe Gowda Tower). The concrete artificial pond, on which the fountain will be set up, will also come up in front of Cacti House inside Lalbagh, sources told Deccan Herald.

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Citizens show thumbs down to govt's Lalbagh 'facelift' plan Deccan Herald or DH dated Thursday, May 26, 2010

 http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71817/citizens-show-thumbs-down-govts.html 

Bangaloreans are proud of Lalbagh. And, they seem to be in no mood to allow any intervention by the government either to beautify it or sell hard to tourists by installing a musical fountain or conducting a laser show.

In response to Deccan Herald's invitation to express their views whether Lalbagh should remain as it is or should be developed as an amusement park, a good number of Bangaloreans have sent their mails vehemently opposing the horticulture department's proposed plans.

While a reader said he distributed sweets after reading the news that Geological Survey of India is opposing any work on the rock garden, a member of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has submitted a petition to the governor, chief minister and head of the Horticulture Department opposing the project proposals to develop Lalbagh into a fun park.

Here are excerpts from the mails DH has received:

Don't disturb nature

Lalbagh and Cubbon Park are the only two remaining lung spaces in the heart of Bangalore. Why does the Government want to turn every open space into an amusement park?

Lalbagh is beautiful as it is, so please let it be as it is. Let it not become a Santosa. Nature is beautiful as it is, just preserve it.

Prema Kakade

No junking

The Garden City (Bangalore) has already lost much of its greenery. There is no dearth of amusement centres in the City. It is absolutely absurd to develop Lalbagh as an amusement centre. It shows lack of direction at policy makers' level.

If Lalbagh becomes an amusement park ignoring the sentiments of the people, the entire area will become a garbage yard as eateries are bound to come up.  The need of the hour is to ban plastic, movement of vehicles, desilt lake and prohibit further construction in Lalbagh. Let us not lose even a single tree in the name of development.

Rajiv N Magal, Bannerghatta Road

A great lung space

Lalbagh should remain what it has been for the past 250 years, a beautiful garden and a great lung space.

Karthik

Need maintenance

It is good to see Deccan Herald taking up the cause of saving Lalbagh. It is distressing to read that the botanical gardens will be 'beautified' in inappropriate way. Lalbagh and Cubbon Park that are beautiful by themselves need maintenance. I wonder what official version of beauty is.

Lalbagh should be cherished, preserved as heritage and not marred by nonsensical 'facelifts.' It is heartening to know that GSI is opposing the project. Hope good sense will prevail upon officers to stop the project.

Srikrishna Aiyar

Preserve for posterity

As a school teacher, I feel that construction of an amusement park is a colossal  waste and burden on Bangaloreans. It aggravates pollution. Already many old trees have been chopped under the pretext of widening roads, construction of metro rails, fly-overs, etc.

We should not disturb nature. Lalbagh should be preserved for posterity.

Kala, Yeshwanthpur

Why don't they learn?

Let the government do not do anything to the natural beauty of the rock and old trees of Lalbagh.

Why not decision makers learn from their foreign trips to leave nature and maintain the gardens as they are? Should we do everything to attract tourists? We certainly do not want Santosa. Keeping the gardens clean is sufficient.

Ahalya Kumar

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Choking the lungs Deccan Herald or DH Editorial dtd Thursday, May 26, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71770/choking-lungs.html 

Lalbagh isn't meant to be a cheap, touristy place.

With its unregulated growth continuing unrelentingly, pollution and lack of lung spaces in Bangalore are certain to become a major issue in the near future. The emissions from its two-million plus vehicles plying on its roads, the deafening decibel levels and uncleared garbage have ruined the ambient air quality in the metropolis.

The carrying capacity of the City has been stretched far beyond acceptable levels with the serious shortages of water and electricity and choked roads. The mindless construction activity and the destruction of trees in the name of infrastructure development have increased the ambient temperature.

Kempe Gowda, the city's founder, and the men who gave it its current shape later including Hyder Ali, Tipu/Tippu Sultan, the British and the Indian administrators who followed them in the early decades of the last century ensured that the City was not only livable but also that it continued to retain its fame as Garden City or for that matter the air-conditioned city.

Perhaps the pace of growth makes it inevitable that Bangalore slides down the quality of living index a couple of notches. But none expects active collusion of the administrators in ensuring that whatever lung spaces left in the City are converted into tacky, crass and cheap touristy hangouts.

That precisely seems to be the objective of the state government's horticulture department whose amazingly obtuse thinkers had to seek inspirational ideas from a resort in Singapore for their outlandish plans to improve upon the natural beauty of Lalbagh.

The flashes of inspiration they received from Singapore's playground include a rock garden, a laser show and a musical fountain. What is missing from the Sentosa menu? A monorail, a golf course, a skyride, a four-dimensional theatre, a sky tower and a cable car?

The Lalbagh and the Cubbon Park are among the precious legacies that the founders of Bangalore have left for the generations succeeding them. It is as if they anticipated that the City would grow beyond the towers of Kempe Gowda and would need parks for some fresh air.

The Lalbagh, which hosts many rare species of flora and caters to the needs of thousands of citizens, needs to be left as it has been for the last two-and-half centuries. If the present lot in the horticulture department cannot lavish the loving care its forerunners did on the parks, the least it could do is leave the lung spaces alone.

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 the cost of 30 dust bins has been estimated to be Rs 15 lakh (Rs 50,000 each).

Whoa! are they made of gold? 

Can people not leave this place alone? Dont they have enough other places to destroy already?

Food park / court

I was at Bannerghatta Zoo the other day and is an absolute mess, human rights activists must complain of the cruelty meted out to animals. Idiots feeding chips to deers. Food & plastic all over the place ZERO civic sense. I dont know how we as a people exist on this planet with such crappy habits.

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I dont know how we as a people exist on this planet with such crappy habits.

Just like you and me. Cheating every soul that comes across our way - including our own conscience -  that we, THE people with such a high moral ground, cannot be doing anything but good.  

Hey THE people, open your real eyes, see the result of our collective effort.

I wish.

PS: Sorry, could not resist.

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Knee-jerk reaction to Govt proposal Deccan Herald Friday, May 28, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/72004/knee-jerk-reaction-govt-proposal.html 

'Appalling...', 'Ridiculous...', 'Has the horticulture department lost its senses?...', 'Why is the government hellbent on spoiling Lalbagh?...', 'It is a money making scheme...'.

These and more are the reactions of Bangaloreans to the government proposal to have a musical fountain and conduct a laser show in Lalbagh botanical gardens.

Responding to the invitation to express their views on the issue  'Lalbagh or Fun Park', readers flooded the Deccan Herald email inbox. Here are some excerpts.

City's pride

Lalbagh should remain the way it is. It is Bangalore's  pride and nothing  should be done to ruin it. The government must first clean the garbage lying around in Lalbagh.

Surabhi Mishra

Appalling plan

The plan is unilateral, uninformed and sinister. Over the decades, we are a witness to erosion of Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. It is outrageous that the Chief Minister can, in one visit decide how Lalbagh should be spruced up.

Smita Bellur

Useless project

It is appalling to read the Horticulture Department plans for 'beautification' of Lalbagh. It is nothing short of preposterous. To make a rock garden for people to sit and watch a laser show is a sacrilege.

Leela Krishnamohan

Clean Lalbagh

The government must just clean Lalbagh and not construct buildings. Let the government not hand over the gardens to private companies.

Arasappa Shetty Thyagaraj

Have fountain elsewhere. A portion of Lalbagh is already being taken for the Metro. The Government can think of creating a musical fountain at General Cariappa Park.

C R Seshadri

A farce

Dr Mari Gowda, the officer who developed Lalbagh, must be turning in his grave. Citizens should strongly oppose any change in Lalbagh.

L Narayana

Developers' plan

There are innumerable instances where 'developers' collude with politicians and bureaucrats to mindlessly destroy ambience of the City. The Lalbagh project is just an another case.

S N Balasubrahmanyam

Let Sasya Kashi be

It will surely be a big commercial racket, caring two hoots to 'Sasya Kashi' as Kuvempu described it.

Jeetendra

Ridiculous

Estimate of Rs 29 crores for Lalbagh is ridiculous. Allocation of Rs. 50,000 for each dust bin clearly show who pockets such money!

U N Bhat

Thanks, GSI!

I'm 15. Thanks to Geological Survey of India which is against disturbing the rocks in Lalbagh. People come to Lalbagh to walk, jog, exercise, etc., and not to sit and enjoy. Laser shows will disturb birds. I strongly protest against the plans to meddle with the beauty of the gardens.

Rajiv Krishna

Don't cut trees!

Bangalore does not need an amusement park. We must keep the lung space and keep Bangalore green. No more tree cutting.

Prof Sheila Prasad

Facelift?

The Rs 29-crore plan is an opportunity to swindle the tax payers' money. It is for officials' 'facelift' and not for the botanical gardens. Let Lalbagh remain Lalbagh.

T Vardhese

Smell a rat!

I am shocked! Despite people's protest, if the government still want to proceed with its plan, I smell a rat. Someone's pocket is going to filled at the cost of the hapless trees.

Dr Anand

Funds for amusement?

Some months ago, the government wanted to increase the entry fee to Lalbagh on the grounds that it had no funds for development. Where is it getting funds to provide amusement?

R S Khemka

Save it

As someone who's lived in Bangalore most of her life, I request that Lalbagh not be turned into a rock garden.

Shubhangi

Plant more trees

Lalbagh as it is so beautiful. Why people are thinking only to spoil it? Let them plant more and more species of trees. Why do we require all these musical fountains, amusement park inside lalbagh?

Lakshmi

Floral temple

Poet Kuvempu has rightly said that this is a floral temple and God rests in the form of flowers. If one has an inner eye, he can experience divinity here. Any additions or alterations here definitely spoil the natural ambiance groomed systematically by the founders and subsequent British and Indian directors of this garden.

Suresh Moona

Dumb Idea

Horticulture Director N Jayaram's idea of converting Lalbagh in to a amusement park, is dumb and stupid. Please leave this park alone. Let people walk in this park in peace.

K R Venkataramaiah

Force change

Ordinary methods of opposing will not work here. Organisers of this campaign must not only rope in not only local residents in vast numbers but also take the help of  several celebrities for the cause. The official machinery of the Government can be compared to the maoists of Dantewada. The opposing group must strive persistently and permanently shut the mouth of the concerned authorities in one go!

BG Subhash

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Lalbagh for tree walks not for laser show Deccan Herald Friday, May 28, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/72005/lalbagh-tree-walks-not-laser.html 

Ornithologist, biodiversity expert against fun park

Citizens are crying foul over the Government's plans to 'beautify' Lalbagh. So also ornithologists and biodiversity experts.

The subject experts absolutely see no merit in meddling with the natural beauty of Lalbagh as they think the Government has the least concern for the rich flora and fauna of the gardens.

Zafar Futehally, well-known ornithologist and biodiversity expert, has taken serious exception for the new plans of the Horticulture Department.  He is 90 and not keeping well. Despite his condition, he took pains to express his views so that the botanical garden will not be 'upgraded the way it is planned now.

He said, "The proposed plans of the Government will affect vegetation, animals and the climate too. Lalbagh is meant for all living creatures, not just for human beings." Biodiversity expert Harish Bhat termed the Government's idea as 'nonsense'. Lalbagh is a place for 130 bird species, most of which are nocturnal - active during night. It is a house of four varieties of owls - collared scops owl, barn owl, mottled owl and spotted owlets.

They go for hunt during night. "A laser show or a musical fountain in the evenings will disturb the life style of these birds", he said. "Nowhere in Europe or the US, elements of fun are allowed in botanical gardens. Forget laser show, even vehicles should not be allowed inside the park. It should be treated as a sanctum sanctorum of bio-diversity.

Why not we cultivate habit of watching trees and birds? Many foreigners visit the park only to study the trees in the park. We should encourage tree walks in the garden to know trees better," he said. Lalbagh should be a place for botanical tours, not laser shows, he added.

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The Karnataka Chief Minister’s Office or CMO which was one of the several recipients of the following civic grievance emails has forwarded them to the Principal Secretary Agriculture and Horticulture on the following dates for necessary action.

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Greens, historians say no to Lalbagh's facelift Deccan Herald Saturday, May 29, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/72219/greens-historians-say-no-lalbaghs.html 

The proposed make-over of Lalbagh has invited criticism from different sections of society.

Environmentalists, historians have come forward to express their strong opposition to any development in the park which affects life of flora and fauna in the park. Environmentalist and retired secretary of Forest Department A N Yellappa Reddy said Lalbagh is not a place meant for fun. Let those want to have fun go to pubs or clubs in the city. No human being has right to disturb serenity in the park. "The department has to put excess lights during laser shows. Butterflies will be attracted to light and lose life.

Why do you disturb their life?" he questioned.

For many plants evening is the best time for pollination. If the government conducts laser show or musical fountain during that time, plant life is affected. Temperature and light have direct impact on blossoming of a flower and its fragrance. Any project altering light and temperature of the area will not generate hormones necessary for biological activities.

Lalbagh is a place of nocturnal birds, which go for hunt in the night. How could they go for hunting in an area filled with noise of laser show and musical fountain, he questioned.

Reddy said Lalbagh is meant for life. The people who lack eco-centric approach in their administration are spending money to kill life in the gardens. "It is the serene place left for Bangaloreans. The government should safeguard it for generations to come", he said.

Dr Choodamani Nandagopal, Historian and UNESCO Fellow has said that Lalbagh is not just a garden to make it an amusement place. The concerns of the officials from GSI on Lalbagh is genuine.

She said that Lalbagh has the potential of getting recognised as World Environmental Heritage Site by Unesco because of the rocks and its heritage of 250 years. If we make this a commercial venture we will loose the grace of applying for this status. Lalbagh can be only one such world heritage garden. Instead of spoiling let us work towards getting recognition from Unesco. Once it comes under the UNESCO itenary the status of Bangalore and India elevates to greatest height.

Another interesting project could be the world class publication on Lalbagh with the botanical paintings professionally created by an artist Cheluviah Raju almost 100 years ago. The 700 paintings are very well preserved, thanks to the Horticultural Department and Library, Choodamani said.

She further point out that about 100 paintings of Cheluviah Raju were sent to Kew Garden, London by the then British Officer Cameron who commissioned the artist for documenting the various species of plants brought to Lalbagh from different countries.

These paintings were sent to London for publication. But due to lack of resources to publish they have been returned and preserved safely in Lalbagh. Since then several attempts were made to publish but have not seen the light till today. If these paintings were in Kew Garden instead of sending to Bangalore they would have seen the light long back. The dream of the artist Cheluviah Raju,  Cameron, Dr Mari Gowda and the team who worked for last four years (including me) is unfulfilled.

S Sridhar, publisher of Newsletter for Birdwatchers, termed the proposed move as disastrous. Natural condition is ideal for birds and animals to be active and breed. If serenity of Lalbagh is disturbed many species lose life. The park is a place for many rare birds. It is one place where one can spend time watching trees and birds. There are many places in the outskirts of the city for fun or amusement. The administration should be looking at providing quality education for the needy rather than entertaining the urban populace, he said.

What citizens say...

Retain lung space

Lalbagh should remain a lung space forever. Being a Bangalorean by birth, I have observed how Bangalore has turned from a green valley to a concrete and plastic zone.

Let the authorities not take work which is harmful to the environment.

Ramesh, Rajajinagar

Money at any cost

If Singapore has Sentosa, Bangalore has Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. I don't see why we have to turn everything we have into something that imitates Singapore or the West.

Why can't we keep what we have well maintained and be proud of it? It looks that the government wants to make money at any cost, be it through amusement park fees, laser show fees or food court rents.

R Prabha, Malleswaram

Don't abuse

I recently visited Lalbagh and was glad to see that it is still green and has not been turned into a commercial venture. Like many Bangaloreans, I too prefer it to be maintained as a clean good green gardens. Please do not abuse it by trying to convert it into anything else.

Shashidhar, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune

Vested interest

Please do not permit any amusement activities, which will be an extravagant nonsense. It will do no good. Find out who is proposing this monstrosity?

Smita Shah

Don't ape Singapore

Turning Lalbagh into an amusement park is nothing but a senseless plan. It will lose its charm, beauty, song of birds, biodiversity, peace and also historical importance.  It is still a lung space despite not being maintained satisfactorily.

If the government wants to ape Singapore, let it provide good infrastructure, check throwing garbage, urinating and spitting on the roads.

Brinda N Rao

No brains

Lalbagh does not need any civil work and felling trees is nothing short of sacrilege. The focus should be on ecology and green, not architecture.

The geometrical monstrosity near the west gate that was constructed a few years ago is a case in point.  The decision-makers do not seem to use their brains. Rather than promoting a food court, eatables should be banned in the gardens. What is needed is just clean drinking water and banning of vehicles' entry.

Sridhar Deshmukh, Basavanagudi

No fun

We don't want an amusement park. Let Lalbagh remain as it is.

Anil Kumar

No parking

I am against providing a parking space in Lalbagh by destroying flora and fauna. This is just a gimmick playing by the government to swallow the money.

Amaresh N

Protect environment

The state government should protect its forests and environment first before they come up with grandiose plans to imitate what Singapore does.

If the government wants to have a rock garden, let it acquire the quarries next to Hulimavu lake and create another park there.

Jayadeep

No Beautification

I strongly oppose the 'development' plans of the horticulture department. Lalbagh being a botanical gardens, is meant to conserve plant species. If any amusement is added then too many people visit causing huge parking problem. Birds and insects will be disturbed.

There is no shortage of amusement centres in the City. There are many malls. Then why turn Lalbagh into an amusement centre?

Sujay Acharya

Better sense

Many of us have watched sadly and helplessly the destruction of Bangalore's environment in the name of progress.  We need to get citizens closer to nature and amusement parks are not the way to do it. Can we hope that better sense will prevail?

Bharathi Prabhu, Rajajinagar

Stop it

Lalbagh is a treasure. The rocks there are a million years old. The trees are  hundred years old. Why do humans want to destroy this and create something that will at best be used for a few years? This is irresponsible and must stop.

Meena R

It's perfect

Lalbagh is gorgeous, natural space with plants and trees from many corners of the globe.

How can anyone expect to 'beautify' something that is already perfect? What can we do as citizens to make the government drop the intended projects? How can we give our support to the GSI to help them combat the 'uglification' of Lalbagh?

B S Domergue

Retain beauty

It will be a sad day for Bangloreans to see the Lalbagh getting converted into an amusement park. It will destroy the natural beauty which is supposed to be one of the finest one in the world. Commercialisation in any form with whatever motive will make the gardens lose its charm. Let the government have a musical fountain outside the City. Every citizen in Bangalore should oppose the plan.

Ravindranathan P V,  Vinayakanagar

Let it stay

I do oppose the conversion of Lalbagh into an amusement park. Please let it stay the way it has been for the last few decades.

Parvathi

What a shame!

Bangaloreans must hang their heads in shame for voting a Government that is arrogant enough to neglect its voters' demands, be it the Tagore Underpass, the Military War Memorial, Metro through MG road or changing Lalbagh into an amusement park. The government should focus on providing shelter to the flood ravaged victims of North Karnataka, providing good educational and medical facilities in the under-developed areas.

Rajesh, Sharadamba Nagar

Maintain status quo

Lalbagh should remain as a lung space with rich flora and fauna. It is beautiful as it is. Let the government think of maintaining the rich heritage of botanical gardens in the Lalbagh.

Jayarathna G K

Dissent

I record my dissent regarding development of this beautiful botanical gardens into an amusement park.

Dr  Vallath Nandini

Leave it pollution free

Lalbagh should be retained as it is at any cost to be pollution free. On flower show days itself it is cumbersome even to enter Lalbagh. Adding amusement events will attract much more crowd.

The Sentosa island's geography is entirely different from that of Lalbagh. Even at Sentosa the crowd is too much and difficult to maintain cleanliness inspite of Singapore being credited for it.

Venkatesh K R

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Citizens continue to dissent Lalbagh modification plans Deccan Herald Sunday, May 30, 2010

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/72372/citizens-continue-dissent-lalbagh-modification.html 

The Horticulture department is still not ready to categorically say whether it has given up its plans to 'beautify' Lalbagh.

But, it looks it has understood the sentiments of the people. Bangaloreans want the gardens to be left as it is if the government is in mood to spend money to provide basic facilities.

It looks Bangaloreans are not going to stop airing their dissent against the 'grandiose' plans of the government to 'beautify' the gardens until they get a clear assurance from the authorities.

Here are some excerpts from the mails Deccan Herald has received:

Leave it alone

For everyone's sake leave Lalbagh alone. It needs only trees!

Janis Barker, Koramangala

Evil plan

I really don't feel that any changes should be made to Lalbagh. It is one of the richest cultural heritage of India. The idea of cutting trees just for the sake of amusement is evil.

Radhika Padia

No change

Lalbagh is the only green space left in Bangalore. Please do not change its environment.

Meghana Shivananda

City's jewel

Plants and trees are the soul of Lalbagh. The original planners had that in mind.  It is indeed the crown jewel for the City.  Adding amusement to it will only bring visitors who have no interest in biodiversity. The character of the gardens will change for ever.

Nanda

Spare it

Bangalore has already lost its greenery. At least Lalbagh should be spared with its little flora & fauna.

I Ramakrishna Rao

No alternative

Bangalore will be no more the same without our Lalbagh. It is a place where fresh air and greenery is available. Nothing else can compensate it.

Swathi

More traffic

As it is the local government no longer allows any lung space to the city in its planning any more!  What right does it have to take away the existing lung spaces?  Besides, wouldn't an amusement park create even more traffic congestion?

V Raghnathan

Keep off
I strongly protest the ugly proposal of the government to 'beautify' the gardens. Let them see how a huge park like Hyde Park in London is left untouched. It is not the business of the government to provide amusement. Lalbagh and Cubbon Park belong to public.

Anil Kumar, Richmond Road

Criminal act

Its shocking that the government has come up with this hare-brained idea of converting Lalbagh into an ugly amusement park.  We oppose this stupid idea. If the government is willing to spend crores of rupees on Lalbagh, let them plant more saplings, provide clean toilets and safe drinking water to the people who visit the gardens.

Chandrika Rao

Why copy?

Why are we so obsessed with copying other cities? Some years back, our Chief Minister vowed to turn Bangalore into Singapore. And now, we have people trying to turn Lalbagh into Sentosa Islands. Agreed, both these places are worth replicating but I would be very happy if Bangalore could be restored to its former glory of the early 80s. For that, we don't have to destroy the natural beauty of the city.

Sarita Bery, Jayanagar

Don't tamper

Bangaloreans are proud of Lalbagh. I protest tampering with the natural beauty of it.

Kasturi Raghavendra

No changes

Rich flora and fauna should and must remain at Lalbagh.

Jaya Shetty Panth

Waste of money

Tranquillity is more important than fountains and laser shows. Amusements can be had in other locations, preferably outskirts of Bangalore. Don't waste money and spoil Lalbagh. I oppose the plan.

Krishna Upadhya

More problem

We have very few lung spaces left with us to enjoy the beauty of nature. Temperature is increasing steadily. Cutting down more trees will only aggravate the problems around us.

Indu Jaiswal

Selfish move

After the Metro, now it is the turn of the horticulture department to take the responsibility of pulling down the trees. This is selfish and disgusting. Nature lovers should do everything to stop the proposal to replicate the Sentosa island at Lalbagh. Just leave the beautiful park alone, for God's sake.

Anup Dutt

Sheer destruction

Hats off to Deccan Herald for starting the debate on Lalbagh. It is heartening to see all the distraction right in front of our so called civilised eyes. Whatever is being planned in name of beautification is nothing but destruction.

Srirangarajan S

No plastic

We certainly can do without another one of those plastic and  metal theme parks. Lalbagh should remain the way it is. I would like my kid to see a 100 year old tree rather than some musical fountain.

Manoj

No tree loss

Even as a teenager, I feel a sense of duty towards Lalbagh. It is one place which is free from pollution. It should not lose trees. A fountain and a laser show will destroy the gardens.

I have made any appeal to the Chief Minister in this regard. Hope it will yield the desired results. People should unite to prevent the disaster.

Vishesh

Add more trees

I oppose the idea of construction of restaurants, parking lots and fountains at Lalbagh. Why commercialise it? Think of adding few more trees. Let it be just Lalbagh.

Mamatha Ninge Gowda

No commercialisation

Stop commercialising the only sane place - Lalbagh - in this mad city. People go to parks not to have food but to get some fresh air and peace. Collect more entry fee if you want money to maintain the gardens.

Sanath Kumar

Preserve it

I am 15 and been living here from my birth. Lalbagh should be preserved as it is.

Avani

Senseless

Turning Lalbagh into an amusement park is senseless. Please keep it the way it is.

Jaya Sridhar

No blings

Instead of spending tax payers' money on blings, let the government plant more saplings.  It is a place to relax and not a recreational park.

Pallavi Vittal

Oppose

I am against the development project of Lalbagh.

Pooja Sagar

Don't mimic

There are several other ways to mimic Singapore like having better infrastructure and clean roads. Turning Lalbagh into amusement park does not turn Bangalore into a Singapore. First thing to go in the name of development are the poor trees because they cannot speak for themselves. Save Lalbagh.

Sree Aithal

Save

Save Lalbagh

Pavan

Fresh spot

Lalbagh is place to inhale fresh oxygen and enjoy greenery. The government need not copy the Sentosa island at Lalbagh without knowing the geological significance of it.

S G Ramachandra, Jayanagar

Joy for ever

As a senior citizen who has lived all through in Bengaluru, I do not wish a single leaf in Lalbagh to be disturbed. Let it be a joy for ever and everyone.

Raghavendra D R

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