BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s tree lovers have come together for a green cause yet again. Angry over the lack of transparency while cutting trees for infrastructure projects, the green brigade has called for making public consultations mandatory before clearing the green cover for any development project.
Citizens from various parts of the city recently met the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), demanding transparency on the issue of axing about 245 identified trees along Bannerghatta Road for the proposed Metro line between Gottigere and Nagawara via Diary Circle.
Activists have accused Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and BBMP officials of marking 245 trees for chopping along the stretch for the said project despite several protests by residents from the southern part of Bengaluru.
During the meeting, the DCF assured citizens that public consultation would be conducted before chopping of trees along the identified stretch. A BBMP official said that a tree committee comprising local residents, Metro officials and BBMP officials will be formed to conduct a tree census and identify the trees which could be translocated.
Harini Raghavan, a resident of J P Nagar, told The New Indian Express, “I saw the trees being chopped down between Jayadeva and Sagar Hospital on Bannerghatta Road. Despite people’s campaign and officials’ assurances, over 240 trees have been brought down so far on the Bannerghatta Metro line.” “The Dairy Circle canopy is an iconic landmark in the otherwise concrete-filled Bannerghatta Road. Our objective is to save as much greenery as possible while supporting Metro plans. It’s very difficult to replace old trees and canopies. Transplantation and BBMP-driven re-plantation have never worked in the past,” she said.
Sangitha Krishnamurthy, a resident of Bannerghatta Road, said, “I think we need public spaces to be valued enough so that the designs of projects like the Metro have to incorporate trees in them. Even relocating a tree isn’t the answer since every road needs tree cover.”
Cholarajappa, DCF, BBMP, told The New Indian Express, “There are rules saying that public opinion be taken when authorities require to axe more than 50 trees for public projects. Thus notification will be made in the matter asking for the public consultation in the matter as per BMRCL guidelines.”
“It may take time as Model Code Conduct is already in place and we will be taking up all these works after elections are over,” he said.
The same group of citizens had earlier staged protests against the steel flyover and the plans to chop trees on Veterinary Hospital premises on Queen’s Road. The state government had then scrapped steel flyover project and dropped plans to chop trees inside Veterinary Hospital.