Mysuru: Environmentalist Bhanu Mohan has lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta regarding chopping down of 40 fully grown trees on Hyder Ali Road in city for road-widening.

Addressing a press meet at Pathrakarthara Bhavan in city recently, Bhanu Mohan said that though there was no necessity to widen Hyder Ali Road, the trees were chopped off and added that she has lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta urging action against the officials who had given permission to cut down the fully grown trees and for not stopping the chopping of trees.

She further stated that she has sought action against Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. K.N. Basavaraju, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif and Nazarbad Police Inspector Mahadevaswamy.

Bhanu Mohan said that on Mar. 20, the MCC had written a letter to the Forest Department seeking permission to chop the trees to widen Hyder Ali Road by 30 metres for which the DCF had granted permission on Mar. 25.

Pointing out that she had given her objection to it on Apr. 11, she said that the trees were chopped down on Apr. 13 which was a Sunday. She alleged that a few persons, who said that they were from MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif side, without any work order, chopped down the trees in the night.

She further said that though they caught the tree fellers and handed them over to the Police, jurisdictional Nazarbad Police Inspector Mahadevaswamy did not take action against them but sent them away safely and hence she lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta in Bengaluru.

Advocate V. Ravikumar and Environmentalist Adarsh Urs were present at the press meet.