Mysore/Mysuru: In response to residents’ allegations of constructing a road in the middle of Dewan Poornaiah Canal, MUDA Superintending Engineer Chennakeshava clarified that they have only cleared vegetation for a service road, not a thoroughfare on the Canal itself.

He explained, “A service road is being constructed to maintain the Poornaiah Canal (Raja Kaluve) or the stormwater drain. This is to facilitate the maintenance of the Canal and provide public access to the nearby crematorium. The removal of trees and plants using a bulldozer was done solely for the purpose of maintaining the Canal and providing public convenience, not for road construction. Following the objection by the residents, we have stopped the service road construction.”

However, residents have raised concerns about the lack of a buffer zone and urged MUDA to adhere to established rules. According to the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in New Delhi, buffer zones are mandatory around lakes and Raja Kaluves to prevent further construction in such areas. The buffer zone for lakes has been increased from 30 metres to 75 metres.

For Raja Kaluves, the revised buffer zone is 50 metres, 35 metres and 25 metres for primary, secondary and tertiary Canals, respectively. The NGT specifies that the buffer zone around Raja Kaluves should be measured from the edge, not the middle. Residents are questioning the absence of a buffer zone for the Poornaiah Canal.