By Dr. Vishweshwaraiah Prakash, FRSC, Former CFTRI Director

After reading about the massacre of 40 heritage trees, I have been contemplating what can be done now, both short-term and long-term, for the past two days.

To recall India’s history, we know of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre at Amritsar recorded as one of the treacherous acts of killing innocent humans during the British rule and it happened on Apr. 13, 1919. This tree cutting in the middle of night also happened on Apr. 13, 2025.  A coincidence!?

This is a brutal act not only to the trees but also the birds which used to rest in their nests with their young ones in the night. Those trees never saw the sunrise of Apr. 13. Yesterday, having seen the trunks and branches of such huge trees, I was provoked to write about it. This report is to register my protest. This incident, with yesterday’s (Apr. 18) silent candlelight march, must ensure the following assurance from the authorities concerned:

1. To put a stop to this project immediately for the way it has raised doubts and has  spiked public wrath.

2. No tree or trees in  Mysuru city and Greater Mysuru area be cut in future without due diligence and public consultation.

3. Quick enquiry within a week of this incident must be held by high-powered committee as per law and guilty punished.

4. The MCC with Forest Department, having given the permission to cut the trees, must immediately replace medium grown trees (within a fortnight) by tree transplanting from their own grown-up nursery trees (40 trees cut, 40 trees to be transplanted first).

5. Lastly organisations like Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and Team Mysuru must identify the beautiful Boulevards of Mysuru in advance such as Adi Pampa Road, Krishnaraja Boulevard, Princess Road etc. Some of the new roads that have come up must be named as Heritage Roads inclusive of trees numbered and named with the age of the tree marked and it will prevent such incidents in future.

In closing, I would say: “If Mysuru matters for us we shall matter more to Mysuru.”