Mangaluru: Sustainable development is not an alien concept in India. In fact for centuries, people living in forest areas and in villages, have practiced a lifestyle that is in consonance with nature.
Surprisingly however now, it is the district administration, the protector of the environment and the champion of sustainable development, that is about to reverse this timeless jugalbandhi of a sustainable environment and a modern lifestyle.
The Dakshina Kannada district administration has planned to chop down around 500 trees to build an administration complex ironically, to serve the people and development!
The complex which is estimated to cost Rs: 25 Crore is expected to come up on 5.89 Acres of land belonging to the Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation (KSFIC) at Alape –Padil.
Logical Shift?
The proposal to shift the district administration from the present DC’s office at the State Bank Circle in Hampankatta, to Alape – Padil has several advocates. They claim that the shift will decongest the city and ensure better coordination among the various departments and arms of the administration, which number around 25, by bringing them together under one roof.
Supporters of the shift, also cite the development of the outskirts of Mangalore and the need to improve the value of real estate in these areas through the relocation of important offices in these areas.
During a press meet on August 26, 2014 – The district Congress had indicated that it had proposed to the state government, shifting of the office of the deputy commissioner (DC) from State Bank to Alape-Padil, after which, the plan moved forward with haste.
The Dakshina Kannada Administration complex building will be one of six in district headquarters across the state approved by the state government at a total budget of Rs 135 crore.
Nature’s Habitat, going, going, gone…
While the reasons quoted for the shift seem laudable, it has one fall out that will impact lives – both human and animal. The land is virtually a forest with 23 types of trees, many of them endangered or protected by law, like Teak, Acacia, Ashoka, and Coconut trees. Naturally, this virtual forest is home to wild animals such as the flying squirrel, Asian Palm Civet also known as toddy cat, snakes such as – pythons and cobra, peacocks, fox, mongoose, Bats and around 20 species of birds.
Color is added to the greenery by different types of butterflies and other insects fluttering among the branches.
All of these creatures will lose their natural habitat when the administration complex comes up and Mangaluru will find its lung space further constricted when the trees are chopped to facilitate construction activities.
Options considered
It is interesting to note that at least one other alternative was considered before the administration zeroed in on the current location at Alape – Padil.
It is learnt that, at a review meeting of the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which was also attended by Ramanath Rai, district in-charge and Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment two alternatives were discussed – a 6 acre plot at Alape which was allotted to the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation and 4.5 acres land area at Bangra Kulur.
MUDA Commissioner Mohammad Nazeer reasoned that the proximity to the Mangalore Junction Railway station provides infrastructural advantage to the Alape plot and a decision was taken accordingly.
In a letter dated 16 August 2014, the deputy commissioner had written a letter seeking permission from the Ministry of Forest – Government of Karnataka, to apportion the identified land for the DC complex. On 14 November 2014, the State Government gave the go ahead for the DC’s complex to be build on the Alape – Padil plot and alloted the 4.5 acres Bangra Kulur land in exchang to KSFIC.
Deemed Forest?
In keeping with a 1996 Supreme Court judgment, the State government had set up an expert committee to identify forest and deemed forest areas. The state government, not satisfied with its classification, has, on May 15th reconstituted the three Supreme Court prescribed committees, the District Level Committee, Revenue Divisional Level Committee and State Level Committee, to examine the report of the expert committee and add to, or delete from it, based on field visits.
The Committees, at a meeting on May 24th this year laid down criteria for classification of land as deemed forests, viz. those lands, whether in the private or public domain, which have 50 naturally grown trees per hectare, above the height of 30 cm, or if the land has 100 trees planted per hectare, above the height of 30 cms.
A visit to the proposed location of the Administration complex does indeed present a picture of a deemed forest as per the forest department’s own guidelines under both its criteria.
However, as the committees are yet to determine the quality of the plantation thereon, the state government is going full steam ahead with its plans for the complex.
Deputy Commissioner’s view
AB Ibrahim said, “We are only developing 30% of the area and will retain as many trees as possible.”
“More than 5 acres of land is allocated, however we are going to construct only about 40,000 sq ft of built up area which will be around 1 acre”, the DC added.
He said “The people from the district must have convenient access to the DC’s complex and this location will help the people of Belthangady, Puttur and other such areas of the DK district to have better contact with the administration. It is with this objective in mind the shift has been initiated”. He also added that the city must be decongested.
When asked that whether other options / locations were considered, the DC denied the same. “no other options were considered, this is the only plot that we had in mind.”
The DC countered the charge that the land contained a deemed forest, saying that the land is industrial land as it comes under the Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation, KSFIC.
