BENGALURU: A false alarm went out on Monday morning when a few citizens claimed that a tree was cut near Balabrooie. A few even assumed that the tree cutting has been started for the proposed BDA steel flyover project, which has been temporarily stalled by the National Green Tribunal. Soon, the vigilant task force of citizens and volunteers from Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) visited the spot and found out that it was a dead tree that was bought down by the BBMP.
Earlier the news that a tree was cut spread like a wild fire and volunteers of Steel Flyover Beda tried to get some details. Finally, the mystery was solved when the citizens contacted the BBMP forest cell and tree committee members. Vijay Nishanth, a tree committee member, said, “It was a dead silk cotton tree. It had died due to its old age and hence BBMP removed it with necessary permissions. The tree was in a precarious position and would have fallen on someone some day. Hence, it was cut.”
However, what is interesting is the fact that citizens have become extra alert now. The ‘tree cutting’ was discussed extensively on social media platforms in no time. Priya Chetty Rajagopal, executive director of leadership and board practice, RGF Executive Search India, said, “False alarm or not. Look at the upside of this episode and note the vigilance, speed and focus of the beda group.”