Mysuru: Taking forward its campaign against tree felling, city-based ‘Parisara Ulivigaagi Kriya Samiti’ has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order a judicial probe into the felling of over 40 trees on Hyder Ali road recently and to penalise and punish the guilty officials.

In a five-page letter addressed to CM Siddaramaiah, the  Samiti urged the State Government to follow the  Uttar Pradesh Model of law and send the culprits to jail.

“The Government should ensure that incidents such as felling of trees on Hyder Ali Road in the city does not recur elsewhere in the State. Also, Tree Authorities must be formed at all City Corporations and at other local bodies. Measures must be taken for planting 40 tree saplings on Hyder Ali Road as per Karnataka Tree Conservation Act-1976 and a nameplate must be installed at the roadside in memory of the incident,” the Samiti said.

The letter further said, “Permission of the City Planning Authority must be compulsorily taken for felling of trees only if absolutely necessary whenever road widening or other civic works are  taken up. At the same time, suggestions of public must also be mandatorily taken into account. Amendments must be brought to the Tree Conservation Act for ensuring that such acts do not recur. The Tree Authority must be vested with powers to deal with any acts of unauthorised tree felling. Also, the powers for sanctioning felling of trees must be given only for top Forest officials of the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and above. Besides, the Government should make it mandatory to get permission from the concerned Tree Authority for cutting down of 10 or more trees,” the Samiti said in the letter.