The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) authorities have acted on a citizen’s request to leave space for roadside trees to absorb rainwater by not asphalting around the tree trunk.

Environmentalist Vasanthkumar Mysoremath observed how roads are being asphalted — covering the entire space where the tree trunk meets the road — leaving no space for rainwater to percolate. Roadside trees are being choked by laying hot bitumen and compacting them at the trunk level leaving little space for rain water to reach the roots.

He then took photographs of Umar Khayyam Road that connects New Sayyaji Rao Road in Tilak Nagar, where such works were being carried out and approached Srinivas, Development Officer of Zone-7 of the MCC.

Mysoremath requested him to instruct his staff to clear the asphalt around the tree trunk (see Pic-1) and create sink pits to enable the storage of some rain water for the trees to survive.  

Acting on the request, the MCC workers provided decent trenches around all the tree trunks (see photo 2) to enable trees to soak whatever rain water that flows into them.

Now each tree trunk sports a sink pit giving them a new   lease of life.