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Case against Smart City authorities for ‘illegal’ construction in Belagavi’s Vaccine Depot
A case has been registered against the authorities of the Smart City project in Karnataka’s Belagavi after the health department filed a complaint with the police alleging that civil constructions were carried out illegally at the Vaccine Depot
Belagavi
A case has been registered against the authorities of the Smart City project in Karnataka’s Belagavi after the health department filed a complaint with the police alleging that civil constructions were carried out illegally at the Vaccine Depot, a large green space which belongs to the department and is protected as an ecological area, officials said.
Dr Mahesh Kone, the district health and family welfare officer, lodged the complaint with the Tilakwadi police, stating that the managing director (MD) of the Smart City project had not informed him about the construction works undertaken on the Vaccine Depot premises. He also said forest department officials had not notified him about the works. In his complaint, Kone said, “The Smart City authorities have unlawfully damaged a significant stretch of trees and the natural beauty of the Vaccine Depot zone in their pursuit of constructing structures for the project.”
Tilakwadi police station inspector Dayanand said, “A case has been registered against the MD of the Smart City project in Belagavi as well as other officials associated with the project.”
After getting information, Belagavi district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi and women and child development minister Laxmi Hebbalkar visited the depot area and, apart from reprimanding the Smart City officials, they ordered immediate suspension of the project.
Jarkiholi, who also holds the PWD ministry, expressed his disappointment over the removal of trees and the harm done to the area’s ecological value by the Smart City officials. “Government will not tolerate such harm to a protected green space,” he said.
Jarkiholi said the depot has been under the health department since 2005 and has hosted various activities. “Shockingly, I have learned that the Smart City authorities neither informed the health department nor sought permission for any of the works undertaken at the Vaccine Depot,” he said. “The state government is obligated to resolve this issue. It is now up to the police department to uncover the truth through their investigation,” the minister said, adding that ample evidence exists to demonstrate the extent of the damage caused to the green space. He urged the police and the court to address the matter.
Officials said approximately ₹10 crore has been spent on constructing structures at the depot, which resulted in the destruction of numerous trees, including rare medicinal plants. Pathways, a glasshouse, and other structures have been erected in the area.
Minister Hebbalkar said, “Structures and buildings planned under the Smart City project at the depot need to relocated to either Belagavi North or Belagavi Rural assembly segments.”
In his complaint, Kone did not mention the name of the MD responsible for the constructions. The works were undertaken during the tenures of Shashidhar Kurer and Bagewadi, who served as MDs of the project. Afreen Ballari took over as MD for the Smart City project on Wednesday.
