<p> The Mysuru Race Club (MRC), which celebrated its centenary year in 1991 itself and was promoted by the erstwhile Wadiyar kings often described as benevolent and visionaries, is in the news for all the wrong reasons, as its lease of the land comes to an end this month.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Elders Citizens Council Trust, Karnataka Kannada Vedike and other organisations are up in arms against the MRC and have made several representations, appealing to the government not to renew the lease of the land, which originally belongs to the Public Works department (PWD). They also demand a probe into the irregularities of MRC, and also of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club (JWGC) which also thrives on the same land, and action against the guilty.<br /><br />S Devegowda, a civil engineer and an activist, points out that the 139 acres and 39 guntas of land, in the heart of the city, is very valuable and leasing it to the MRC, which is in no way related to social welfare, at nominal cost is not acceptable.<br /><br />“On the contrary, the MRC is victimising poor people, who gamble their hard-earned money on the races. The Executive Engineer of the PWD has already issued a notice to the MRC, pointing out that it has violated the agreement entered into on February 10, 2014, by sub-leasing a portion of the land to the JWGC. In the notice dated February 11, 2016, the EE has directed the MRC to give an explanation within 15 days,” he said.<br /><br />MLA’s objection<br /><br />Devegowda said, as per the rules of the State government, a piece of land should be charged seven per cent of its guidance value as annual rent.<br /><br />“But, the agreement made by the government with the MRC says that two per cent of the profit of the MRC be paid as annual rent for the land. Taking cognisance of this, MLA Sa Ra Mahesh had written a letter (dated July 22, 2015) to Law Minister T B Jayachandra stating that the government had incurred a loss of Rs 32 crore as on the date of his letter. The Law Minister had, in turn, written a letter to PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa on July 24, 2015. The PWD Minister, in a letter to the Principal Secretary of PWD on August 5, 2015, had directed cancellation of the lease and recovery of the loss to the government. However, the PWD officials are yet to act on the Minister’s letter,” he said.<br /><br />When contacted, Sathyanarayana, Superintending Engineer of PWD said, he had directed the executive engineer to issue a notice to the MRC based on a complaint lodged by an NGO. However, he said, he was not aware if the MRC has replied to his notice or not.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Secretary of MRC K G Anantharaja Urs said an explanation has been given to the PWD and the department was free to initiate action against the club if it deems that JWGC is a trespasser.<br /><br />“The government should not succumb to the pressure of the 250-member club, most of whom are not even Mysureans, which wants to have control over the 140-acre prime land. The only pro-people initiative of the MRC is its eye hospital. But, the hospital is not wholly funded by the MRC. It gets funds from the government and also from philanthropists. Even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah released Rs 50 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund to the hospital, during his visit, a few months ago,” points out Suresh Babu, president of Karnataka Kannada Vedike.<br /><br />Exploitation<br /><br />“The MRC is causing harm to the Chamundi Hill ecosystem. It has violated many rules, like not availing permission for buildings constructed on the leased land. It has been using borewell water, even though groundwater can be used only for drinking purpose in urban areas,” he said.<br /><br />The revenue and profits of the JWGC are under a different head and go unaccounted in respect of the lease of the land on which it operates. It has also purchased a land nearby with its profit and has established a Club House. It is also illegally using recycled water from the Vani Vilas Water Works, under Mysuru City Corporation, without either a valid agreement or payment of charges, he added.<br /></p>
<p> The Mysuru Race Club (MRC), which celebrated its centenary year in 1991 itself and was promoted by the erstwhile Wadiyar kings often described as benevolent and visionaries, is in the news for all the wrong reasons, as its lease of the land comes to an end this month.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Elders Citizens Council Trust, Karnataka Kannada Vedike and other organisations are up in arms against the MRC and have made several representations, appealing to the government not to renew the lease of the land, which originally belongs to the Public Works department (PWD). They also demand a probe into the irregularities of MRC, and also of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club (JWGC) which also thrives on the same land, and action against the guilty.<br /><br />S Devegowda, a civil engineer and an activist, points out that the 139 acres and 39 guntas of land, in the heart of the city, is very valuable and leasing it to the MRC, which is in no way related to social welfare, at nominal cost is not acceptable.<br /><br />“On the contrary, the MRC is victimising poor people, who gamble their hard-earned money on the races. The Executive Engineer of the PWD has already issued a notice to the MRC, pointing out that it has violated the agreement entered into on February 10, 2014, by sub-leasing a portion of the land to the JWGC. In the notice dated February 11, 2016, the EE has directed the MRC to give an explanation within 15 days,” he said.<br /><br />MLA’s objection<br /><br />Devegowda said, as per the rules of the State government, a piece of land should be charged seven per cent of its guidance value as annual rent.<br /><br />“But, the agreement made by the government with the MRC says that two per cent of the profit of the MRC be paid as annual rent for the land. Taking cognisance of this, MLA Sa Ra Mahesh had written a letter (dated July 22, 2015) to Law Minister T B Jayachandra stating that the government had incurred a loss of Rs 32 crore as on the date of his letter. The Law Minister had, in turn, written a letter to PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa on July 24, 2015. The PWD Minister, in a letter to the Principal Secretary of PWD on August 5, 2015, had directed cancellation of the lease and recovery of the loss to the government. However, the PWD officials are yet to act on the Minister’s letter,” he said.<br /><br />When contacted, Sathyanarayana, Superintending Engineer of PWD said, he had directed the executive engineer to issue a notice to the MRC based on a complaint lodged by an NGO. However, he said, he was not aware if the MRC has replied to his notice or not.<br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, Secretary of MRC K G Anantharaja Urs said an explanation has been given to the PWD and the department was free to initiate action against the club if it deems that JWGC is a trespasser.<br /><br />“The government should not succumb to the pressure of the 250-member club, most of whom are not even Mysureans, which wants to have control over the 140-acre prime land. The only pro-people initiative of the MRC is its eye hospital. But, the hospital is not wholly funded by the MRC. It gets funds from the government and also from philanthropists. Even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah released Rs 50 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund to the hospital, during his visit, a few months ago,” points out Suresh Babu, president of Karnataka Kannada Vedike.<br /><br />Exploitation<br /><br />“The MRC is causing harm to the Chamundi Hill ecosystem. It has violated many rules, like not availing permission for buildings constructed on the leased land. It has been using borewell water, even though groundwater can be used only for drinking purpose in urban areas,” he said.<br /><br />The revenue and profits of the JWGC are under a different head and go unaccounted in respect of the lease of the land on which it operates. It has also purchased a land nearby with its profit and has established a Club House. It is also illegally using recycled water from the Vani Vilas Water Works, under Mysuru City Corporation, without either a valid agreement or payment of charges, he added.<br /></p>