Residents of Koramangala and neighbouring areas who use the Koramangala 3rd Block Playground (behind the Post Office) to play Cricket, Football and other games got a rude shock on Thursday, 24th December.
A group of individuals claiming to be from the Ananda Educational and Social Trust arrived on the scene with construction equipment and started to dig holes for foundation footings. They showed residents and others a copy of a plan sanctioned by the Bangalore Development Authority in December 2015 for construction of a Kannada Medium School.
It may be recalled that the site, designated as Civic Amenity Site 42 (CA-42), was allotted to M/s Ananda Educational and Social Trust vide the High Court Judgement in SG Heble and Ors vs Bangalore Development Authority in 1997. Vide the same judgement, the BDA was restrained from allotting further Civic Amenity Sites in Koramangala for any purpose other than park or playground usage.
Since then the Ananda Trust has sat on the land and not attempted to take up any construction for the past 18 years.
In 2009, the allotment of the Civic Amenity site was cancelled by the then BDA Commissioner, Sri Siddiah but the trust wrote a letter to the BDA requesting that the cancellation be revoked and the then Commissioner of the BDA, Sri Bharat Lal Meena revoked the cancellation and gave them another opportunity.
Citizens and playground users smell a rat in the way in which the construction work is being commenced at the start of a 4 day holiday in which Government offices and courts are closed — Eid Milad and Christmas fell on Thursday and Friday.
The team of workmen at the site seemed to be intent on digging construction pits without barricading the excavated area unmindful of the dangers caused in a public playground.
On Saturday morning, there was an alarming incident in which a child fell into the open pit and was hurt in the leg.
Many playground users and residents are openly alleging a land grab. One of the key trustees of Ananda Educational and Social Trust is the son in law of Mr Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
BBMP Playground area rendered unsafe
