In recent news articles in English and Kannada newspapers and TV Channels mention the ambitious plan to create a park larger than Lalbaugh / Cubbon Parks which are large parks in Bangalore. The news article has a mention of Honorable Minister for Horticulture approaching Honorable Minister for Forest to convert Jarakabande Reserve Forest into this park and is being considered.

Bangalore North was full of Forest land and a lot of forest land has been destroyed for various reasons. Recently the forest department has started to destroy the remaining last blocks of forests by initiating a plan to convert the forest into a mega Lalbhag park / Cubbon Park type at Jarakabande reserve forests.   This area has 89 species of trees planted and many between 1985 to present, some of the noteworthy trees here are Jackfruit trees, Hill goose trees, Kadamba, Beach Almond trees, Indian Beech trees, Red sanders trees, Eucalyptus Trees, Teak trees, Indian Butter trees, and many more and an abode to more than  120 species of birds, many species of small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies to bees and wasps. We have seen Wild boars, Jackals and spotted Deer’s and all this wildlife is protected under wildlife protection act of 1972 and the forest has its unique flora with under growth. In the name of tree park  heavy machinery is being used to destroy the secondary forests there by violating the conditions in the approved working plan as well as the Hon’ble Supreme Court Directions in W.P.(c)No- 202/1995 directions. Though the central and state governments have accorded the working plans with the conditions for the working plan of Bangalore urban division under section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 with many conditions to adhere to. As per condition number 8- “this approval does not ipso-facto imply approval of any proposed non forestry activities requiring clearance under Forest (Conservation) Act. Such activities shall not be undertaken until separate forest clearance is obtained under the said act” this being the same authority who is a trustee to protect the public commons as per the doctrine of public trust is part of Article 21 of the constitution since the doctrine fosters free environment, which is a part of right to life  moreover, Article 47 of the constitution provides that “ the state shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country”  hence the constitution has not provided the State the ownership of the resources of environment or forests, but the position of the state is that of a trustee, who is required to protect and improve these resources for the public at large. Accordingly, in the context of public Trust Doctrine, the legal title is vested in the state and the equitable title in the public. Thus the state is responsible as a trustee to manage the property in the larger interest of the public.

Urging you to sign a Petition to say NO to this proposal to change a Forest land into a Park with an urge  to leave forests as forests and let them take their own natural course of development with minimal human intervention.