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Social Justice Forum opposes Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on green belt

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Source The Hindu
SJF planning to move the Supreme Court
The area consists of 38 acres of deemed forest
Strongly opposing the move by the State Government to construct the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on a 50-acre land near the historical Vaccine Institute housed on a green belt around the city, the Social Justice Forum (SJF), led by industrialist Suresh Hundre, is seeking the construction of the Vidhan Soudha at an alternative site.
Case
The SJF, after having lost the case in the Karnataka High Court, is now planning to move the Supreme Court with a prayer to restrain the State Government from changing the “nature and identity of the vaccine depot campus” and seeking the construction of the Vidhan Soudha at an alternative site.
Concern
Sharing the concerns of SJF with The Hindu here on Sunday, Mr. Hundre said that the organisation would soon the take up the issue with the Supreme Court and try its best to protect the institute from being degraded concrete jungle.
He said since February 2004 SJF along with Save Vaccine Institute Action Committee (SVIAC) had been fighting to save the green belt, this was much before the idea of establishing the Vidhan Soudha here was even conceived.
Forest
The area consists of 38 acres of deemed forest. It is the unique shelter to 39 plant and 117 bird species.
With a ban on production of vaccine, the institute now houses the office of the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
The SJF has been demanding that the State Government establish an art complex and develop the area as a botanical garden for the benefit of students, environmentalists and to attract tourists.
Art complex
The former Development Commissioner for Northern Karnataka, Chirajiv Singh, in his letter to then Secretary of Urban Development Department, P. Ravikumar, in February 2004 had suggested to covert the depot into a museum and an art complex.
Mr. Hundre said that the main reason for the selection of government-owned vaccine depot for the construction of the Vidhan Soudha was to save money on acquiring private lands.

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