Seeks report within seven days

Environmentalists and concerned citizens have questioned the necessity and legality of the act. Media reports suggest there was no urgent need for road widening in this area, yet the trees were axed in apparent haste. — Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre

Mysuru: Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has ordered a probe into the felling of 40                               fully-grown trees on Hyder Ali Road in Mysuru, an act that has sparked widespread public outrage.

“Environmentalists and concerned citizens have questioned the necessity and legality of the act. Media reports suggest there was no urgent need for road widening in this area, yet the trees were axed in apparent haste,” the Minister said in a letter sent last evening to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force.

Thousands of environmental activists and tree lovers have staged silent protests and held candlelight vigils at the site, mourning the loss of the lush green canopy that once shaded the stretch.

“The very justification for widening Hyder Ali Road, as well as the process through which permission was granted for tree felling, must be thoroughly examined. Senior Forest Department officials have been directed to assess the legality of the action and submit a detailed report  within seven days,” Khandre stated.

Acknowledging the gravity of the issue, the Minister confirmed that the matter is under review at highest level. The Forest Department is now expected to clarify whether due process was followed and if the decision aligned with its core mandate of preserving ecological balance.