Commercialization of botanical gardens

Hotel, convention center, mall, Office Blocks, Merchandise Multiplex and commercial blocks .. in the

name of eco-tourism

--The botanical gardens scam ?

BackgroundOriginally, reserve forest area spread over

274.11 acres in Kothaguda, RangaReddy Dist, AP (now popularly known as botanical gardens, hyderabad).

Now, a “bio diversity conservation and eco-tourism” project is coming up in

This 274.11 acres of reserved forest and Another 6.5 acres(revenue land located in Sy

No 62 of Kothaguda village, serlingampally mandal)

Eco-tourism project DetailsProject Area

SKVBR Botanical Gardens 51.83 ha or 128.07 acres

Bird Park 12.43 ha or 30.710 acres

Night Safari & Eco Park 45.61 ha or 112.70 acres

Eco-tourism project monitoring unit of APFDC

1.008 ha or 2.63 acres

Total area 110.878 ha or 274.11 acres

So what’s wrong in bio diversity conservation and eco tourism?In the name of visitors amenities for promoting bio diversity conservation and eco tourism, 152,000 sq mts (16,36,611 sft) built up area

is being constructed in ground coverage area of 76,000 sq mtrs (8, 18,000 sft) in the “botanical gardens project”.

Similar things are happening in night safari & eco park project

So, what are these visitors amenities for the “eco tourism” ?

The “visitors amenities”

Visitor Amenities Some of the components(Refer: Eco Tourism Management plan for Kothaguda reserve forest as on 01/06/2009)

1. Kreeda Van – play area

High tide water poolWater fountains, water fallsFood courtsChildren fun sports..

2. Vana nilayam – tourist accommodation center, research, development and training facility

300-400 rooms of various categoriesResearch, development and training facilitiesStandard, luxury, deluxe cottagesLobby, banquet halls, multi cuisine, bar & restaurant, dining hall, laundry, currency exchange, travel desk, beauty parlor, gym, swimming pool etc-- This is essentially the “five star hotel” that is talked about in the press

3. Vanollas - Nature club

30 – 40 roomsElegant ballrooms with large pre-function areasAuditorium, mini theaterFitness center, sauna bathAerobics & indoor gamesFood courts

4. Rural India Ethnic cottages

Continued ..

Visitor Amenities Some of the components

5. Harita Vedika – Green convention center

4-6 exhibit halls & mini conference roomsMulti purpose hall2,500 seat theatre complex with state of the art sound system etc

6. Vana Oushadhi – herbal health center

Administrative office and staff cottagesHerbal baths, rejuvenation therapiesEthnic cottages

7. Vana Vinodam – Entertainment center

Rides of different varieties3D&4D screensUnderwater parkMuseumFood courtsToy train

8. Vananjali – merchandise area

Shops of different sizesCineplex of 6 screensVideo parlorsBowling alleyFood courts, coffee shopWide film and TV screens

Is this really trueYes. Refer to the “Concession agreement” dated 19/08/2008

between APFDCL and M/S DE LARA tourism corporation ltd.

Eco tourism management plan dated 01/06/2009

GHMC RTI response confirming that they received request to build “Cottages, convention center, Hotel, Office Blocks, Merchandise Multiplex and commercial blocks etc..”

What was the original intentionG.O. Rt No 240 issued by AP Govt in 07/2001 APFDCL to take up the eco tourism project. Areas included are … (c) Kothaguda

Reserved Forest (entire block) …“The vice chairman and managing director, APFDCL and the prl chief conservator of forests are also directed to see that the various activites/works that would proposed in the action plan for Bio-diversity Conservation and Eco-Tourism, within the limits of Reserved forests or sanctuaries or national parks or zoological parks shall be carried out strict, as per the legal provisions of various forest ..”

MoEF in the in-principle approval letter dated 04/08/2004 : Adequate emphasis on minimum use of non-renewable energy sources. Preference

should be given to the projects of Forest-Toursim using renewable energy sources, eg, solar light, solar cooking, stand-alone Windmills (if feasible) etc

4d(i) No permanent structure shall be allowed to be constructed under the proposal in the forest areas. For accommodation, only temporary structures like tents/huts/collapsible structures (mean: such structures which can be dismantled and shifted from one place to another) shall be allowed. Cement/masonry work shall not be allowed above plinth level except in toilets.

The tourism facilities should be environment friendly, simple, clean and wholesome. In this regard, the type of facilities created by Jungle&lodges corporation in the state of Karnataka is a case in point.

What happened over timeAfter letters from APFDCL, MoEF in a letter

dated 12/09/2005 gave permission to4d(i) Maximum two floor (ground+1)

construction will be permitted. Cement concrete construction upto plinth level shall be allowed. For construction, framed structure with cement concrete columns and beams above ground and upto firest floor may be allowed. Other construction material should be eco-friendly like that made of bamboo, timer etc.

What happened over time ..Shopping mall, 6 screen cineplex, 400 room hotel, 2500 seat

theatre, bowling alley etc added to the planMoEF, in letter dated 20/01/2010 gave permission to

revised eco-tourism management plan (of 01/06/2009) which had all these changes for mall, cineplex, hotel etc

Trying to get permission from MoEF for allowing “basement parking of vehicles and utilities wherever needed” in the name of maximizing green cover at ground level.Gov of AP, EFS&T Dept already allowed this (Reference:

9748/ForII(2)/08 dt: 18.05.2009)Still not clear what is why the 6.5 acre reserve land was

allocated for “botanical garden annex plan” and what is the status of that land

Events

07/06/200

1

•Dept of tourism (YAT&C) enterted MOU with De Laraa Estates for eco tourism development

31/07/200

1

•Forest land of transferred to APFDCL for bio diversity and eco tourism (GOM Rt No 240)

05/03/200

3

•AP Govt wrote to MoEF for eco tourism development in forest land

04/08/200

4

•MoEF gave in principle agreement for the project. But emphasises, “No permanent structure shall be allowed to be constructed under the proposal in the forest areas. For accommodation, only temporary structures like tents/huts/collapsible structures “

12/09/200

5

•MoEF gives permission for “Maximum two floor (ground+1) construction will be permitted. Cement concrete construction upto plinth level shall be allowed”

17/03/200

6

•APFDCL certified that the eco-tourism management plan for kothaguda RF block, RR Dist, AP comprising the implementation of eco-tourism projects viz, botanical garden, night safari park, bird park and eco project monitoring unit of APFDCL is approved and to be sent to MoEF

23/03/200

6

•MoEF conveyed its approval for diversion of forest land for eco tourism project based on the certificate given by APFDCL

19/08/200

8

•Agreement signed between APFDCL and De Laara Tourism pvt ltd for bio diversity and eco tourism project. This agreement contains

•Additional 6.2 acres of revenue land allotted for “botanical garden annex plan”

•6 screen Multiplex, 300-400 rooms, 2500 seater convention center, mall, etc

02/06/200

9

•Revised s“Eco tourism management plan” containing all the controversial ‘tourist amenities” submitted to MoEF

17/03/201

0

•Revised “eco tourism management plan” containing all the controversial “tourist ameneties” such as 6 screen Multiplex, 300-400 rooms, 2500 seater convention center, mall, etc approved by MoEF

So, what’s nextGet all the facts out and figure out what is

going well and what are the real issuesRaise awareness through media & citizen

groupsSomebody might approach the courtsAnd hope law will take its own course

Related documentsReaders can form an informed opinion by going through these letters.

Other documents which will give (good & bad) picture of the project are

Concession Agreement Dated 19/08/2008 between APFDCL & M/S Delara tourism corporation ltd. Some of the excerpts at http://www.citizensocial.com/uploads/issues/e814530ab8acdcb16790aff906cbe9ad84326d6f.pdf

Eco Tourism Management plan for Kothaguda reserve forest (as on 01/06/2009) which is around (89 pages + XI annexures)

GOs, approvals etc at http://www.citizensocial.com/uploads/issues/41519044a51bfcb11fd89fac10188372b1e3fcc7.pdf

For a quick summary on the “commercialization”, once can refer to http://www.citizensocial.com/uploads/issues/1e65faf5502f618d95d0e5d79409d8a85f4ddc2c.pptx

GHMC RTI response at http://www.citizensocial.com/uploads/issues/654622540d94764dff9aeef2770e152ecf1391f0.pdf

http://www.amchamindia.com/images/press_clip/weston.pdf