Axing of 40 roadside trees angers environmentalists

Mysuru: Over three dozen roadside trees on an 800m stretch between SP Office Junction and a hypermall in Nazarbad were axed by the Mysuru City Corporation on Sunday. This has led to an uproar as environmentalists had opposed the axing of the trees, just two days earlier. The trees were cut down during the night, which angered environmentalists, who said that the way in which 40-year-old trees were axed raises suspicion.
The MCC approached the forest department seeking to axe the trees located on either side of the 800m stretch from Kalkamba Temple on Hyder Ali Road to SP Circle. Based on the request, the forest department put forth various conditions, such as planting 10 saplings for each tree, and covering the estimated cost mentioned.
Activists and environmentalists protested and held the officials accountable. Environmentalist Bhanu Mohan said that to widen the existing road, they axed 40 trees. She came to know about the plan on April 10, and immediately wrote a letter to the forest department on April 11, requesting not to axe any trees. She stated it was shocking to see these trees axed during the night.
In 2019, the officials wanted to widen the stretch by axing the trees, but they were successful in stopping it. This time, they had no clue about it, she stated. Usually, trees are axed by cutting their branches, but here all the trees were axed directly from the bottom, she said.
Advocate Ravi Kumar alleged that there are irregularities in axing the trees, and approached Nazarbad police. He sought the MCC officials to produce the document that gave them permission to axe the trees. Kumar said that before axing any tree, they need to plant 10 saplings for each tree, which they have not done.
KN Basavaraj, DCF (Mysuru), said that the MCC asked for permission to axe 40 trees to widen the road. After conducting ground verification, there was no scope to retain them. As per the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, they gave the permission. The MCC deposited money for the planting of saplings, he said. After widening the road, they will see whether there is scope for planting saplings or they will plant 400 saplings in the surrounding areas, he stated.