Balabrui Guesthouse | photo credit: file photo
The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday allowed the state government to use the Balabrui Guest House for setting up the proposed Constitutional Club, a recreational facility for legislators, after the government had given an undertaking to the court that neither would make any structural changes . No tree will be cut or damaged in the 172-year-old building nor on the premises.
Revised Interim Order
Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varle and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi passed the order modifying the interim order passed on October 7, 2021, wherein the court had directed the authorities to maintain status quo on the nature of use. Balabrui Guest House. Also, the court had earlier restrained the government from handing over the guest house to any organization carrying out felling or trimming of trees in and around the guest house premises without prior permission of the court.
However, the government on Tuesday filed an application before the HC seeking modification of the earlier interim order to allow maintenance works of the building and instead to use the building for the Constitutional Club only. The interiors were allowed to make aesthetic changes. a guest house.
interior aesthetic change only
The government also made it clear to the court that only internal aesthetic changes would be carried out without any structural changes to the interiors or exteriors of the existing building.
Accepting the government’s word, the bench clarified that no tree can be cut or damaged in the premises and no structural changes will be allowed in the building.
The court had passed an interim order on October 2021 in a PIL filed by Dattatraya T. Devare on non-implementation of the Karnataka Conservation Act, 1976 in 2018 by himself and the Bangalore Environment Trust.
trees over 100 years old
The petitioners had expressed apprehension about the possibility of felling of several heritage trees over 100 years old present in the guest house premises when the complex is converted into a club for construction activities to house the proposed club.
Meanwhile, the counsel for the petitioners made it clear to the bench on Tuesday that the petitioners have no objection to the use of the guest house building for housing the proposed Constitutional Club, provided there is no damage to the heritage building or the heritage trees.