State Cabinet decides to take possession of Roerich estate

Team Udayavani, Sep 18, 2019, 7:41 PM IST

Bengaluru: Days after Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced plans to come up with a film city at Roerich and Devikarani estate near here, the Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday decided to take full possession of the land by fencing it and removing encroachments if any.

“Roerich and Devikarani estate land of 468.33 acres isin the government’s possession, according to there will it iswith the government. We have decided to get it measured, evict encroachments if any and fence it,” Law and ParliamentaryAffairs Minister J C Madhuswamy told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The Russian painter Svetoslav Roerich and his wife yesteryear heroine Devikarani had made Bengaluru city their home.

While Roerich died in 1993, Devikarani breathed her last in the following year.

Responding to a question about the film city, he merelysaid, “it will be decided later, today cabinet has decided toget the encroachments evicted and take possession of it andfence it.”

Asked whether the government was not aware about any encroachment despite having a special officer appointed, the Minister said, “…I don’t want to comment on the previous government… we have come in now, we are active on the issue, and we have taken the decision.”

On Sunday, Yediyurappa had said the government has plans to come up with a film city at Roerich Estate.

Some environmentalists have opposed the film city move, citing disturbing biodiversity as the reason.

The estate is part of elephant corridor between Bannerghatta and Savandurga.

Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has termed the move to set up a film city at Roerich estate, as a symbol of Yediyurappa’s “hate politics”, pointing out that his government had decided that film city will come up at Ramanagara, the constituency represented by his wife Anita Kumaraswamy.

Stating that his government’s decision to set up a filmcity at Ramanagara was also with an intention to provide employment opportunity to youth of Bengaluru rural and Ramanagra districts, Kumaraswamy in a series of tweets noted the estate was a biodiversity place.

“The place is not apt for film city. If at all the film city is set up there it will not only harm the environment, but will also lead to conflict between humans andwildlife,” he added.