Government to grant 120 acres of land to BTC
The hurdle in the way of BTC getting land to relocate its activities is being resolved at least going by the fact that about 120 acres of land at Doddasonehalli (in Doddaballapur) about 36 kilometers from Bangalore is awaiting sanction. The land for this purpose has been identified and the file containing this information has been forwarded from the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the Bangalore Urban District to Revenue Department for further action. After due process and cabinet approval, BTC may get the land on lease. The file had been sent to Advocate General for opinion and obviously the same has got his consent form the legal point of view. This has been conveyed to the Bangalore Turf Club according to sources in the government.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Yeddyurappa had repeatedly stated that he is not against racing and that he would positively give alternate land to BTC. He is keen that BTC should honor the court verdict of vacating its premises by September 22. He is reportedly not averse to giving BTC time for conducting off course activities at the same premises till such time the new structure comes up and also does not mind helping the club raise finances. He wants to BTC to conduct racing at Mysore till alternative facility is available. It remains to be seen if the BTC General Body approves these conditions or wants to go ahead with the Special leave Petition as mandated by the Special EGM.
Eminent personalities like Dr Vijay Mallya, Arun Jaitley and others had reportedly requested the Chief Minister not to take steps which may result in the collapse of the racing industry. The Chief Minister had been non-committal. However, by his actions, it is clear that he has no hassles in giving land to BTC despite the club daring him and taking the matter to court, with disastrous result.
The BTC is a restricted body of about just 350 members, with about 100 members. The supercilious attitude of some of these members had resulted in alienating the goodwill of race goers, bureaucrats and politicians. To become a member at BTC, the general body has to vote a person in against the vacancy created by the death of an existing member. Such a thing had resulted in undesirable practices. It is almost impossible for an outsider to break in as the captive electorate tends to vote only those who are part of the existing family. In the last elections held in the month of March where 12 members were elected to the club, nine of them were sons of existing members. BTC is completely a male bastion and no woman can ever hope to get elected as a member. There has been repeated demand to expand the membership to over 1000 so that the club does not become the exclusive preserve of a few privileged. Such a move has been successfully resisted thus far. It is imperative on the part of the government to impose certain conditions at the time of granting land and helping in terms of providing finances to fund the project.
Though the government is committed to developing the existing race course land as a reserve forest, the Chief Minister had said in the past that he wants to build a towering structure in a portion of the race course land to make it a tourist attraction.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Yeddyurappa had repeatedly stated that he is not against racing and that he would positively give alternate land to BTC. He is keen that BTC should honor the court verdict of vacating its premises by September 22. He is reportedly not averse to giving BTC time for conducting off course activities at the same premises till such time the new structure comes up and also does not mind helping the club raise finances. He wants to BTC to conduct racing at Mysore till alternative facility is available. It remains to be seen if the BTC General Body approves these conditions or wants to go ahead with the Special leave Petition as mandated by the Special EGM.
Eminent personalities like Dr Vijay Mallya, Arun Jaitley and others had reportedly requested the Chief Minister not to take steps which may result in the collapse of the racing industry. The Chief Minister had been non-committal. However, by his actions, it is clear that he has no hassles in giving land to BTC despite the club daring him and taking the matter to court, with disastrous result.
The BTC is a restricted body of about just 350 members, with about 100 members. The supercilious attitude of some of these members had resulted in alienating the goodwill of race goers, bureaucrats and politicians. To become a member at BTC, the general body has to vote a person in against the vacancy created by the death of an existing member. Such a thing had resulted in undesirable practices. It is almost impossible for an outsider to break in as the captive electorate tends to vote only those who are part of the existing family. In the last elections held in the month of March where 12 members were elected to the club, nine of them were sons of existing members. BTC is completely a male bastion and no woman can ever hope to get elected as a member. There has been repeated demand to expand the membership to over 1000 so that the club does not become the exclusive preserve of a few privileged. Such a move has been successfully resisted thus far. It is imperative on the part of the government to impose certain conditions at the time of granting land and helping in terms of providing finances to fund the project.
Though the government is committed to developing the existing race course land as a reserve forest, the Chief Minister had said in the past that he wants to build a towering structure in a portion of the race course land to make it a tourist attraction.
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