#HERITAGEBEKU IN THE NEWS
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Nov 3, 2019
Priya Chetty-Rajagopal from Heritage Beku, a citizen advocacy initiative that works towards preserving the city's architectural and natural heritage, ...
November 4 , 2019
Priya Chetty-Rajgopal, founder, Heritage Beku said the protest is a message to the government on what the public wants in the space that belongs to all. “We must protect our heritage so that the future generation can represent our (actual) social culture', Priya said
TIMES OF INDIA: DON’T RUIN OUR PARK: CITIZENS OPPOSE COURT ANNEXE PLAN
Nov 1, 2019
Priya Chetty Rajagopal, who heads Heritage Beku, said a seven-storey structure would put the congested area under further stress. “With a new building, there will be visitors and their vehicles; parking space will have to be created. Half an acre of land in front of the high court building has been compromised for parking and another half an acre near Hudson Circle,” she said.
She questioned the plan to raze the existing building in Cubbon Park. “It was built in the early 1900s. Why bring down a heritage structure? It can be used for many purposes. For instance, it can be turned into a tourist office or a museum showcasing the park’s history,” she said.
Oct 31, 2019
The activists say if government agencies had granted permission for the building, they would have been prepared for the decision since these agencies treat the park as their own property. But there is a sense of pain among people because this order came from the courts.
“We have the highest respect for the court, and they have done a phenomenal job all these years protecting our environment and heritage. So we know that the present judgment is an anomaly and will be corrected,” Priya says.
IBC WORLD NEWS: HC ORDERS DEMOLISHMENT OF HERITAGE BUILDING IN CUBBON PARK: ACTIVISTS WANT DECISION REPEALED
Oct 30, 2019
“The issue of Cubbon Park getting modified is non-negotiable. The issue is emotive as well as Cubbon Park, just like Lalbag and the Vidhana Soudha, is an identity of Bengaluru. And if you see, in the last 60-80 years, the 300-acre plus area has quietly come down to 220 acres. The bottom line is that the fence is eating the crop,” she said.
She added, “But we have tremendous faith in the courts, as we can see in the landmark judgements regarding the rule surrounding crackers, or the judgement on the tree committee and the tree census. The Draft Revised Master Plan 2031 specifically covers heritage guidelines and we should abide by this. As a beloved, iconic and highly emotive aspect of our city’s skyline and history, we must do all we can to preserve our Cubbon Park and our public space.”Cubbon Park and our public space.”
DECCAN HERALD: ONLINE PETITION AGAINST HC ANNEXE TRIGGERS DEBATE
Oct 31, 2019
Articulated through an online petition on Change.org, this query by outraged heritage and green activists has sparked a huge debate. The activists are clearly upset by the Karnataka High Court's go-ahead for the demolition and its green signal to signal to build a new annexe building there. The petition, seeking a reversal of the court order, has already garnered over 2,500 signatures.
The petition, drafted by seasoned heritage activist Priya-Chetty Rajagopal, contended that the October 17 order had gone against a 2001 ruling, which emphasised preservation of the city's nature, its historic spaces such as Cubbon Park in particular.