GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
With the IT hub of Bengaluru fast losing its tree cover, citizens held a protest on rampant felling of trees. On Sunday, the residents of RR Nagar held a silent protest at the ORRA Fine Jewellery showroom which had illegally axed five trees on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Bengaluru.
RR Nagar, a much sought after locality in the south western parts of Bengaluru, has already lost much of its tree cover due to rampant felling by new site owners and builders of commercial & office complexes, jazzy showrooms and of course, for road widening and white-topping.
According to residents, the BBMP Forest Cell has actually turned into a “Tree Clearance Cell” by giving permission left and right without any site visits or checking up the location of the tree, its health, its girth, its age, species identity and whether it has any birding activities.
Four decades ago, this area was turned into a verdant oasis by the BEML Housing Cooperative Society and other small organizations which took up an initiative to plant thousands of trees in all the main and cross roads. Further, RR Nagar in Ward No: 160 is very well planned with connecting roads and is resplendent with innumerable parks and playgrounds all over the area.
Citizens and local residents demanded immediate action against officials of the BBMP Forest Cell for violating the existing regulations even as clearances are given to axe trees without any spot visit or investigations for the reasons for seeking felling permission.
Residents also alleged that corrupt, insensitive BBMP Forest Cell officers were issuing clearances without the mandatory inspection of the trees sought for felling. However, for trimming branches of trees that enter the house premises, the BBMP Forest Cell takes more than two years to give permission. But when big realtors and builders illegally fell trees, they turn a blind eye.
Joseph Hoover, United Conservation Movement and resident of RR Nagar alleged, “BBMP Forest Cell are paid up to Rs 1 lakh for giving permission to real estate owners and builders for felling of healthy and very mature trees. They have taken money to fell these 40-year-old trees.”
He further questions, “Is money the only criteria for them and not saving the tree cover of Bengaluru? Instead of saving trees, they have become a tree clearance cell. In this regard, RR Nagar has lost many trees in the last decade. These officers should not only be suspended but also punished.”
Ex-Corporator G H Ramachandra said that it is indeed shocking how five trees have been felled illegally just because it is a big commercial complex.
The Ex-corporator added, “There are no setbacks in this commercial building. How did they get plan approval and how did they fell five mature trees so openly? Who is supporting them? There should be an end to such incidents as we the residents and the society members and other small organizations have strived to plant trees, water them and today they are mature trees providing lung cover for this area. Neither the BBMP nor the Karnataka Forest Department has taken up any plantation activity in our area, it has all been a people’s effort.”
Agitated residents said if the same situation of rampant tree felling continues in their area, they will be forced to take up other forms of protest. They called upon the state government to take action against officers of the BBMP Forest Cell as the city of Bengaluru has already lost more than 90% of its green cover since the 1970s.