BENGALURU: BBMP Deputy Conservator of Forests Chola Raju has put out a notice that Phase-II of the BMRCL underground work will start from Jayanagar Fire Station on Bannerghatta Road to Nagavara, comprising 12 underground Metro stations.
The civic body held a public consultation meeting on May 24 in Bannerghatta Road to give an estimate on the number of trees to be affected by the works. While citizens seemed happy with the DCF’s decision, many environmentalists and urban conservationists were irked.
Environmentalists said that as stated by Karnataka High Court, a committee of experts from the field of environment, science, and technology should be constituted, which will examine whether the trees proposed to be felled could be saved. If they find no way to save the trees, only then shall it be permissible to fell them.
However, they pointed out that the committee has not been formed despite the HC’s order and holding a public consultation now is a violation of the court’s order. “Without an expert committee nobody can take a call on how many trees will be cut or saved. It is the expert committee who decides that,” said tree doctor Vijay Nishanth.
Dattatraya T Devare, an environmentalist, said, “We had taken this forward. It took us two years to come up with what the High Court has finally stated and now if the trees are axed without any reason we will take strict action.”DCF Chola Raju said, “For now a public consultation will be held and previous committee members can also give out their suggestions.”