Nagpur :-Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krushi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), which was given land by the state government for conducting agricultural research, is busy minting money by virtually selling these lands. Earlier, it had handed over the Telangkhedi Garden and Satpuda Botanical Garden to a private developer, who banned entry of citizens and now it has allowed the developer Manish Mehadia to turn the Botanical Garden into a concrete jungle.
The Botanical Garden is spread over an area of 60 acres. Mehadia has been given 26 acre for commercial exploitation. He is building 27 cottages, a convention centre, a restaurant, an open amphitheatre, an artificial beach and developing a play area for children. PDKV is not bothered that these concrete structures will destroy the catchment of Futala lake. It is not clear under which policy can it allow a botanical garden to be turned into a private resort.
PDKV and Mehadia have been doing these activities silently. Mehadia quietly stopped the entry of visitors to the Botanical Garden many months ago and then started construction of the cottages and other buildings.
Mehadia claimed that he was not doing anything illegal. “All the construction activities are being done as per guidelines of Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. The Town Planning Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has approved our plans. Not a single tree will be felled for construction. In fact, we are planting 1,350 extra trees. The Botanical Garden was not an attractive place but soon it will become a top attraction of the city,” said Mehadia.
