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War memorial - some facts and questions
Written By prajasevaka - 9 January, 2010
Bangalore BDA environment Citizen Reports amenities Others Everything else
The state government is planning to build a war memorial in the park where Indra Gandhi Musical Fountain is situated. This is the park opposite the planetarium on Chowdiah Road.
Some of the features of the memorial-
1. A 100 feet tower - made of two 50 feet single stone pillars.
2. Buildings to house a war museum.
3. BDA to fund this project.
4. Expected to cost between Rs. 15 to 20 crores.
5. 60 odd full grown (most of them alomst 100 years old) trees to be cut down.
6. Park belongs to Horticulture Dept and was once part of the cubbon park.
Some questions-
1. Cant we have a more environmental friendly structure? - the site to quarry 50 feet long stone pillars have been identified at Kogilu near Bangalore - in a few years time this region once full of hillocks will be a plain barren land
2. Why should the memorial be housed in the heart of the city? - this is already a over crowded region. Cant this be located on the outskirts of the city, possibly around or on the way to the new airport?
3. Cant they co-ordinate with the army and house the structure on army land near HSR layout or Kormangala - where so many trees wont have to be cut?
4. The most important question - why cut down 60 old full grown trees in the heart of the city? The tress that will be cut include a few large Banyan trees. These are the few remaining lung spaces of the city - why destroy them?
I am not against the war memorial or the museum (thought i would have liked to see the 15-20 crores being spent on something better for our brave soldiers). I am sure even the martyred soldiers for whom this memorial will be dedicated wouldnt have wanted to cut down so many trees. Cant we find better ways to respect these selfless ppl who laid down their lives for the country.
The memorial is being pursued by Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrashekar of the ABIDE (whos dad is an ex-army personal). I always thought he was one of the better netas.
COMMENTS
idontspam - 10 January, 2010 - 17:40
So, where is HU? Or will they only step up when Metro is involved?
murali772 - 11 January, 2010 - 11:41
How do the neta's suddenly thrust such decisions on the public? Perhaps we need to add a proviso in the 'People's manifesto' that all public buildings/ spaces will in future be 'developed' only after due public consultations, and by following processes similar to those followed in the case of the "Freedom park".
Whatever, I can't see a need for the city building a war memorial. If anything is to be done, leave it to the army to do it.
vinay_sreenivasa - 11 January, 2010 - 19:05
swamy idontspam avare :-)
we dont work only on metro. our frst public campaign was on - raod widening
http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/Tree%20felling/Hasire%20Usiru/background.html
http://hasiruusiru.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=54
also on parks etc -
http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/commons/action/ProtestReport_ParksAccess_CubbonPark_301109.html
and we're not blidnly opposing the metro :-)..but more on that later.
vinay_sreenivasa - 11 January, 2010 - 19:06
..again to idontspam...we're doing something..will keep u posted :)
srinidhi - 10 January, 2010 - 16:27
Yes, we have had enough of trees cut in this city already..please no more!
The site can be developed into a nice park..
Army has lot of land in prime locations ..the parade grounds and other places are better suited for such a memorial..they can also have a yearly ceremony there in military style..
Lets leave the trees alone..these magnificent trees can be seen easily from the ali asker road side..lets not cut them!
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