Balasubramanian: How can anyone accept Karnataka govt's logic behind steel flyover?

Mr V. Balasubramanian, former IAS officer and chairman of the Karnataka chapter of Transparency International is one among the many proving to be a thorn in the government’s flesh. Balu, as he is fondly called, has been relentlessly fighting the system ever since he retired from government service. He headed a task force on encroachment of government land that created ripples in the real estate sector. Now, he along with a few organisations has moved National Green Tribunal, Chennai Bench to get a stay on the controversial steel flyover. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Balu  spoke about the environment, law and current affairs and criticised the Siddaramaiah government though he gave the benefit of doubt to Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah. Here are excerpts from the interview.  

In the National Green Tribunal, you got temporary relief against the controversial steel flyover project. The government may ignore the ruling and surreptitiously start the project. For instance they have already cut a big tree near Balabrooi Guest House.
No. I don’t think so. The National Green Tribunal’s order is very clear: you have to stop work for four weeks and give a reply. Conducting an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the conditions the court has set. You see, the project cost is almost Rs 2,000 crore and if they extend the flyover by another 100 or 200 metres, it may go upto Rs 2,200 crore that is Rs 300 crore per km. How can you implement this without conducting EIA?

But they (government) are saying it is a national highway…
(laughs) It is funny to hear this, a national highway starts from one city and ends near the municipal limit of another city. Inside the city, it is called a by-pass.  Though NHAI may build the same road inside the city, the maintenance has to be done by the city corporation. There is a clause that if it is a NHAI project, it could be exempted from the EIA. The government wants to stall the EIA, therefore, they are saying it is a national highway. In this case, this project was not proposed by NHAI nor was this part of any national highway, because till Hebbal the road is within the BBMP limits. How can anyone accept the government’s logic?

Do you think the EIA will be free and fair considering the attitude of the government?
It will be an elaborate exercise. They may fix a date and a venue to conduct the hearing. See, about 40,000 people want to give their view. One need not presume the three or four officers drafted for this job ( hold public hearing) will favour the flyover. But, since they are from the government, one may assume these officials could be influenced. If one thinks the EIA that these officials prepare is not fair, one can challenge it in the National Green Tribunal.  First, they said the project may involve felling of only 500 trees, then it went upto 800. And environmentalists who counted the trees, say over 1,200 trees may have to go. The state government has not obtained the permission of tree officers which is a must under the Tree Act.

What do you mean when you say the maintenance cost of a steel flyover is not less?
I got a mail from Mr Bore Gowda, a retired chief engineer of NHAI. The government is saying steel is available in plenty, there is a slump in the market, so we will build a steel flyover because maintenance cost is very low. He says the steel pillars connecting junctions will have bolts. Even though technicians do water proofing, the rain is so powerful that water goes inside and rusting will start. Four per cent of the steel cost will be maintenance cost. So, those who contend the maintenance cost will be less, are wrong.

The government has come out with a new master plan for the city. As a former bureaucrat, do you see anything which the common man has missed?
There is a fundamental flaw in the master plan. First, the government does not consult experts. A few engineers in  BDA sit together and prepare the plan. It is restricted to the area within BBMP when major urban activity has been happening outside BBMP. When late Ramakrishna Hegde was Chief Minister, he had sent me to Kolkata and Chennai to study the city development pattern. Based on my report, we created Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). That agency should be preparing the master plan, not BDA because, it covers surrounding towns like Anekal, Nelamangala and Hoskote. Over 8000 sq km comes under the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority while BBMP has only 800 sq kms. Therefore, a BDA master plan cannot do justice.

Does the plan prepared by BDA address major problems?
I doubt it. Unless we propose solutions to the water crisis, garbage problem, vehicular growth and pollution, the master plan cannot be complete. For this, you have to involve experts from outside. I would say that with the water crisis, garbage problem, vehicular growth and pollution dominating, the city will die. There are genuine experts, they can prepare a good master plan for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority region.

You are also associated with Transparency International. What is your assessment of Congress government vis-a-vis previous BJP government?
(laughs) Difference? Nothing. Perhaps, there might be less corruption in the mining sector, otherwise, everything is the same. I heard that 96 acres which was given to an orphanage and a school, have been allotted to 10-12 organisations including 7 Kuruba associations in Dasanapura Hobli. The school has been functioning since 1998. Still these people want to give the same land to others. What more evidence do you need to comment on this government?

What about the scheme for allotment of titles to forest dwellers?
Politicians love such schemes but the law is strict. They have to obtain clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Even if supporters of politicians cut trees to prove there were no trees, forest land can't be given to anyone.