Madikeri: Trees are seen as the best insurance against landslides and soil erosion. Hence, it may come as a surprise that over a hundred of these age-old, magnificent creatures are set to be cut down in the name of protecting the river banks in Kodagu from erosion.
Trees on the banks of rivers and streams such as Kote Abbi, Hatteholey stream and Cauvery are among those that have been marked by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama for removal for building a retaining wall to counter landslides.
On the banks of Kote Abbi and Hattiholey streams alone, nearly 100 trees have been identified for elimination under a Rs 130 crore project.
The Cauvery Neeravari Nigama has conducted the survey and submitted the request to the forest department for permission. However, the department is yet to give the green signal.
The move has drawn the ire of local residents, who question the scientific basis behind removing such massive and magnificent trees for preventing landslides.
“The scientific way of handling the issue would be to permit the removal of excess silt deposit. This will facilitate the waterway,” said Nanda Beliappa, a grower in the area who has filed a PIL in the High Court demanding scientific management of water at Harangi Reservoir.
He pointed out that the streams have excess silt deposits, as is easily visible to the naked eye during the current drought-like situation.
In 2018, heavy rains had caused increased human and property loss across Kodagu. Hattiholey, Madapura, Nandimotte and other surrounding villages recorded massive landslides even as mismanagement of water at Harangi Reservoir was seen as the main cause for the slides.
Following a PIL, the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama invited scientists to devise plans to strengthen the water banks to prevent them from sliding.
“The Rs 130 crore fund will be used to remove silt and construct check dams in the catchment areas of Cauvery even as over 1.6 kms of retaining wall, gabion walls and other remedial measures are planned to strengthen the water banks,” confirmed Puttaswamy, the executive engineer of Harangi Reservoir.
However, the residents, along with several planters in the region, oppose the move to chop off the very trees that act as natural preservers of soil.