Mysore/Mysuru: Over 20 fully grown trees including 18 shade-giving Honge varieties were chopped to widen the road in Vijayanagar First Stage yesterday. The trees were cut amidst stiff opposition from some of the residents and Green activists who argued with the Forest Department, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and Mysuru Urban Development (MUDA) authorities.

These trees at Vijayanagar First Stage (from Abhishek Circle till Kalidasa Road) have been there for decades and have provided shade to the residents, walkers and even small tea shops and auto stands since ages. Now the trees were cut to facilitate the 6th Main road-widening project initiated by MUDA.

When compared to Third and Fourth Stage Vijayanagar, the First and Second Stages are considerably green. When the authorities had numbered over 56 trees to be cut in this area in April this year, the residents and eco activists had protested and had convinced the Forest Department not to allow the axing. The work was stopped then.

Residents have alleged that now the Department has given permission to cut trees in batches. As per the Department rules, if one tree has to be cut, 10 trees have to be planted. A fee has to be paid to the Department and accordingly, Rs. 2,47,568 has been paid by MUDA and permission has been granted.

As authorities arrived at the place with mechanical saws to cut the trees, residents objected and said that the area will look barren and they will be deprived of clean air.

Taking objection to the tree cutting, environmental activist Bhamy Shenoy of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) told SOM that as per rules, the Forest Department has to call for public hearing if trees are to be cut. “Here they have resorted to cutting trees in batches of 20. One day they will cut 20 and another day they will axe 20 trees. This way they can avoid calling for a public hearing,” he said.

“Strangely, the permission letter issued by the Forest Department does not carry any signature and it is just a Government letter without authorisation publicised to hoodwink opposition. Thus we have no idea who has given the permission,” he said.

“A few months back, we had requested both MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev and MLA L. Nagendra to stop such a project. We argued that there is absolutely no need to widen that road. There is no such traffic on that road. It is a sad and unfortunate move,” he added.

“It was sad to see some of the house owners arguing that they have planted the trees and they have every right to cut them. They seem to ignore the fact that they planted on public property and it does not belong to them. Also, the Tree Act does not allow anyone including the Government to fell trees without taking into consideration cost to the society. When our planet is facing existential crisis because of climate change, it is crime to fell trees without having any reason,” Bhamy added.