Coimbaore: The balmy breeze over the Velliangiri mountains is turning too scorching for the famous Isha Yoga ÂFoundation nestled at the foothills as the TÂamil Nadu government is tuÂrning its heat on the over two-decades old institution for goining on a construction spree witÂhouÂt getÂtinÂg due official apprÂovals.
The District Collector Archana Patnaik on Wednesday declared that action will be initiated “as per law” against the Isha Yoga Centre for violating the Hill Area Conservation Authority rules. Over the last few years, the Isha YoÂga FoÂundatÂion had gone ahead with maÂsÂsive constructions of cottages especially for its VIP and foreign guests. The Isha Yoga Centre has constructed 77 buildings without getting the nod from the HACA which is headed by the district Collector. Notices from the Forest department to stop constructions too did not deter the Isha Yoga.
In his letter to the Principal Conservator of Forest, the then Coimbatore Divisional Forest Officer V.ThiruÂnavuÂkkarasu had clearÂlÂy stated that the Isha Yoga Centre, which is located in the elephant corridor, was a threat to the elephant population in the area.
Last December, the Director of Town and Planning too had directed the Isha Yoga to stop the constructions.
Meanwhile, a public interest litigation was filed before the Madras High Court by advocate M VetrÂiselvaÂn seeking demolition of all the illegal constructions made by the Foundation near Villiangiri hills. In its response to the PIL, the State government submitted a report to the High court stating that the Isha Yoga FounÂdation had not obtaiÂned any approval to consÂtruct such huge buildÂings. The Court’s verdict is awaited.
Litany of violations
However, senior forest officials who inspected the Isha Foundation said that there were a series of violations on the sprawling campus. The senior official said that Isha institutions did not obtain any approvals for constructing hospital, educational institutions or for any other commercial establishments in the campus. They have obtained only approvals from panchayats but not the mandatory approvals form the Hill Area Conservation Authority.
About 30 panchayats in Coimbatore distriÂct fall under the ambit Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) Act. “ The Isha institution is located bang in the middle of the elephant corridor and falls under the same HACA Act,” said a senior forest official. However, the Isha Foundation had applied for post-approval after constructing huge buildings and institutions on the campus.
During inspection, officials had also found that Isha was constructing new car parking area at the campus. To construct the car parking area, they did not obtain any “No objection certificate” (NOC) from the Forest department and the district administration.
The Isha also has constructed a bridge over the stream in the campus, but they did not obtain a no-objection certificate from the Public works department, forest department and other concerned departments.
“Capping all these violations was their bid to construct a helipad inside the campus. However, the government officials intervened and stopped it temporarily,” said a senior official, who was part of the team which inspected the “violations” on the Isha campus.
Meanwhile, the Isha spokesman said that they would seek legal redressal against any possible government action. Environmentalists say that all institutions encroaching on the elephant corridors have to be “pulled down”. Only then, the heightening man-animal conflict will abate. Else, Coimbatore will face a serious environmental disaster, warn activists.
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Vidyashree Dharmaraj | DC
Coimbatore: A spokesperson at the Isha Foundation who did not wish to be named said: “Approvals for the all the buildings that have been constructed and are under construction have been sought but there appears to be some delay in the processing of approvals. For the old construction the foundation has got the approval of the Panchayat in 1994.”
On the 62 unapproved buildings that are already in use, and 15 which are under construction, the spokesperson said that the documents for the approvals have already been sent. But it is getting delayed. After the local and seal demolition notice was issued by the authorities on December 24, 2012, construction activity has been stopped.
On the absence of a clearance certificate from the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) for construction of the buildings at the premises, he said, the matter was subjudice.
“The foundation will seek legal course to establish its stand”, the spokesperson.
