Farmers move Karnataka HC against Disneyland-style amusement park at Brindavan Garden
Bengaluru: Farmers from Mandya district have reportedly filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Karnataka High Court challenging the state government’s decision to transform Brindavan Garden, located at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam, into a Disneyland-like space. The petitioners argue that the project poses serious environmental threats and undermines the interests of the farming community.
A vacation division bench of Justices B.M. Shyam Prasad and K.V. Aravind has issued notices to several authorities of the state and central governments, including the Ministry of Jal Shakti, National Dam Authority, state chief secretary, water resources, agriculture, forest and ecology departments, Kaveri Neeravari Nigam Ltd and other authorities of Mandya district, as reported by The New Indian Express on Thursday.
This was after they heard the petition filed by K. Boraiah and four others from KRS village and nearby areas, questioning the tenders issued to set up the amusement park in the name of Brindavan Garden Upgradation without statutory clearance, including from the gram panchayat.
The petitioners argue that the project violates Articles 48-A and 53A of the Indian Constitution, the Karnataka Forest Act, the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The petitioners contend that turning the historic garden into a non-agricultural commercial hub—expected to attract 10,000 visitors per day—would result in significant damage to the region's agricultural ecosystem, the report added.
The dam is around 120-years-old and this has not been taken into consideration by authorities, they further alleged.
The first notification was issued on September 9, 2024, and the third notification on March 15, 2025. The urgency behind the PIL stems from the state’s May 13 decision to call for tenders for the Rs 2,663 crore amusement park project, alongside a Rs 100 crore Cauvery Arathi event, TNIE mentioned.
The petitioners have urged the court to stay the tender process, calling the state government’s actions arbitrary, hasty, and disastrous for the agrarian sector.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on June 9, 2025.
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Uproar in Karnataka Assembly as opposition protests demanding minister to resign
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes with BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House, demanding the resignation of Excise Minister R B Timmapur, alleging a multi-crore scam in his department.
The opposition on Tuesday had staged an all-night protest in the Assembly after Timmapur refused to quit over corruption charges against him and his son in liquor licensing and transfer of officials.
As the House met for the day, BJP and JD(S) MLAs, who were in the well of the House, shouted slogans, demanding Timmapur's resignation.
Leading the charge, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka alleged that in the Excise Department, bribes are being taken for granting licenses and for facilitating transfers.
ALSO READ: Excise scam allegation: Bhajans, sloganeering mark Opposition's overnight protest in Assembly
Wine merchants' association has alleged that the scam in the excise department is to the tune of about Rs 6,000 crore, and related audio recordings have been released, complaints have been filed with the Lokayukta, he said.
He also claimed that the "looted money" was being used by the ruling Congress to fund the party in election-bound states.
Stating that he has provided three pen drives in the House, containing audio evidence to prove alleged scam in the excise department, and there are statement made by an Excise Deputy Commissioner about commissions going to the Minister, Ashoka said, Thimmapur should immediately resign, and there should be an inquiry.
"I urge the Chief Minister to take the Minister's resignation immediately, let there be an inquiry, and after three months if he is proved innocent, take him back in to the ministry," he said, adding that K J George of Congress and K S Eshwarappa, earlier with BJP, had resigned as ministers in the past, following allegations against them.
Questions are being asked as to what is the CM's share in this scam, for not taking any action against the minister, who is facing charges, the opposition leader said, "Siddaramaiah preaches morality, but does he have any morality?"
Valmiki ST Development Corporation funds were used by the ruling Congress for Lok Sabha polls, he alleged.
"Now for Assam polls, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar is the Congress election in-charge and for Kerala K J George is the in-charge, and the fund used in these elections is the Karnataka Excise department's. We have been alleging that Congress is using Karnataka as its ATM, but now it is emerging that for the Congress leadership, Karnataka is a Reserve Bank to fund their elections."
Following this, BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House shouted slogans demanding the Minister Timmapur's resignation; some slogans were also raised against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
As his repeated attempts to convince the opposition to withdraw the protest failed, Speaker U T Khader allowed the Congress members to continue with the discussion on the resolution moved by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Assembly on Tuesday, urging the Centre to immediately repeal the VB-G RAM G act and reinstate MGNREGA.
After some time, as the protest and sloganeering intensified, Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, who was on the Chair, adjourned the House for some time.
