Karnataka High Court stays for now cutting of more trees on lands allotted to various institutions within Jnana Bharathi campus of BU

The Karnataka High Court on Friday prohibited authorities from chopping down more trees for now on lands allotted or leased to various public and autonomous institutions for setting up their offices at Bangalore University’s (BU) Jnana Bharati campus.

Wanted details

The court also directed the officials to provide details of trees already cut on lands allocated for building construction.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha passed the interim order on the PIL filed by Swayam Jagruti Seva Trust, Mudalapalya, Bengaluru.

The bench, on November 21, directed the petition to be notified to the State government and other persons, including institutions utilizing lands on the campus, while adjourning the hearing to December 9. Additionally, the board had directed the government to submit the necessary details showing the decision-making process on the question of whether the relevant authority had examined the necessity of diversion of the forest land stated to be reserved for the biopark before allocating the lands to various institutions.

However, the petitioner applied for an urgent hearing, complaining that some trees had already been cut down and some of the trees had been relocated from the allotted land for building construction.

The Board will now hear the petition on December 9 to examine the details to be provided by the government.

Granted lands

The government had allotted land at the Jnana Bharati campus in favor of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Inter-University Center for Yoga Sciences, Central University of Karnataka, Central Board of Secondary Education, Architecture Council, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, College of Engineering of Visvesvaraya University and National Law School of India University.