Date:05/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/05/stories/2007040506300500.htm

Karnataka - Bijapur

Court stays construction of Kannada Sahitya Bhavan

Staff Correspondent

Court stays construction following PIL petition

BIJAPUR: The construction of the Kannada Sahitya Bhavan outside the fort near the Deputy Commissioner's office has been suspended after the civil court issued a temporary stay of 11 days following a public interest litigation petition filed by local persons.

The petitioners sought stopping of work on the contention that the building was very close to the fort wall, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. The court issued a notice to president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat's district unit, B.M. Patil, to file objections in a week.

Meanwhile, Mr. Patil and office-bearers of Kannada organisations held a meeting here on Wednesday to discuss the fallout of the latest development. It was attended by senior writers Ishwarachandra Chintamani, Sharanappa Kanchyani and B.C. Nagatan; and office-bearers of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Sheshrao Mane and S.M. Madivalar.

Mr. Patil told presspersons that the site was sanctioned in 1990 and the building was being constructed with the development fund of local MPs and MLAs.

They regretted that some people had raised objections to the building of an organisation that represented five crore Kannadigas.