CHIKKAMAGALURU: The authorities of the Aralaguppe Mallegowda District Government Hospital have invited the ire of environmentalists for cutting down a peepal tree, as the birds, that took shelter in the tree, would leave droppings all over the area. The tree, which was over 15 years old, was home to many birds, including egrets and herons.
The hospital, situated near Azad Park, will soon be upgraded to a super specialty hospital. While the people of the district are thrilled about the upgrade, many of them are angry about the tree being cut down. Speaking to The New Indian Express district surgeon Kumar Naik said, “The condition was very bad on the premises due to the mess created by the birds.
The birds would leave droppings all over the place, stifling the environment for the patients and attendants. There was no option but to get rid of the tree to end this menace. We tried many other measures like scaring away the birds. However, none of our efforts yielded any fruit. Hence, we decided to cut it down,” he said.
Wildlife conservation activist Veeresh G said, “It is ridiculous to give such a reason for cutting down a tree. This will encourage other people to cut down trees as well. Where birds take shelter if trees are cut just because they cause a bit of nuisance?” he asked.