BENGALURU: Following a complaint by residents, BBMP forest cell officials inspected the GR Tech Park, Whitefield and Salarpuria pvt ltd compound for cut trees, and registered an FIR against them.
Range Forest Officer, BBMP Mahadevapura Zone, Sudarshan said, “The BBMP forest department cell had not given any permission to cut the trees. Hence, an FIR has been registered against the Tech Park.” He also said the tech park had given a portion of their land to the Metro project and had built a compound wall. Hence, the trees were now, outside their compound.
“Since they wanted to install huge gates for safety purposes, the tech park sought permission to cut six trees. However, 19 additional trees were also cut down,” said Sudarshan.
The activists also alleged that the tech park had allegedly encroached the footpath area, and erected tin sheets. However, the forest cell official said that they are only concerned with the cutting of trees.
Activist Sandeep Anirudhan said that the tin sheets were put up a month in advance to mask cutting the trees. The BBMP did not take any action regarding the encroachment on the footpath. “There’s no way the tech park owner could have got permission to cut trees on a footpath. Legally, only the forest department can cut trees on the footpath. We spoke to the forest department officials, they say they have not cut any of the trees. We have come to accept that there is general lawlessness, but harming trees like this when we are facing environmental crisis shows how insensitive we humans have become,” he added.
In another case, residents of Doddakallsadra expressed concern over BWSSB pipeline work under its 110 village development component in BBMP limits, as the line passes the Doddakallsandra lake. The residents say, there are seven trees that have come in the way of the project. These trees enrich biodiversity and may be cut down for the project.