Centre destroying Bengaluru's ecology, environment by selling HMT land, alleges Surjewala

Bengaluru, Jul 16 (PTI) AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday accused the Modi government and the BJP-JD(S) of destroying Bengaluru's ecology and environment, and claimed that while the Congress government wants bio-diversity park like the Cubbon Park, the opposition wants "real estate development".

Earlier in the day, Surjewala met Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and praised the department's efforts to protect the forest land under the possession of HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools).

According to the minister, during the meeting, they discussed the land under the possession of HMT and how the central government's policy has already led to the sale of around 160 acres of forest land to various institutions, including private real estate companies.

Later, taking to social media platform 'X', Surjewala shared a news report on Bengaluru titled "concrete heat trap" and recalled how today's meeting with Forest Minister Khandre brought out "shocking facts on how Modi Govt and BJP-Janta Dal(S) are destroying Bengaluru's ecology and environment." In his post, he highlighted that in the 1960's, the Karnataka government had allotted 443 acres of land to HMT for a factory in Gorguntya-palaya, in the heart of Bengaluru.

"The factory is shut down for last 15 years. The Union Heavy Industries Minister is Sh. Kumaraswamy. They sold 160 acres earlier. On the remaining 280 Acres, Karnataka Govt and Forest Department wants to make a "Bio-Diversity Park", like the Cubbon Park, which will be second set of lungs for Bengaluru," he said.

The Congress leader alleged that the Modi government and Kumaraswamy (BJP-JD unholy nexus) want to sell these 280 acres of land for "real estate development".

"Govt of Karnataka and Modi Govt are fighting it out in Supreme Court and matter is now listed for July. While Congress Govt of the State wants Bio-Diversity Park like the Cubbon Park, BJP-Janata Dal want real estate development," he claimed in the post.

He questioned why the Modi government and Union Minister Kumaraswamy are obstructing and opposing creating a Bio-Diversity Park in the heart of Bengaluru.

"For BJP-Janata Dal, is making money out of real estate more important than Green Cover and fresh air for people of Bengaluru? When land was given for factory in the 1960's and HMT is shut down years ago, why should this land be not returned to People of Karnataka for a Bio-Diversity Park? Does this not expose the hypocrisy of Modi Govt and bring out the sinister nexus of BJP-Janata Dal?," he asked. PTI AMP KH