Activists fume over KRDCL’s move of road widening, felling of trees; bat for MPC election

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: After the BBMP tree committee was permitted to chop down 800 trees for three significant projects, the execution of the same for a road project by the Karnataka Road Development Corporation drew severe criticism and backlash from environmental activists. The backlash comes after steps to address it went in vain. Activist Sandeep from White Field said such a move is “unscientific and uncalled for”.

“Felling of century-old trees will serve no purpose except increasing the traffic in areas that fall under the project. It is unscientific and uncalled for,” he alleged. Calling it a failure of authorities in building a proper regional master plan, the activist also demanded the election of the Metropolitan Planning Committee to constitute better plans and save the city’s green cover.

“Without MPC, the KRDCL is running riot on our natural environment and desecrating them at will, driven by political pressures and the lure for timber mafia profits,” he claimed. Similarly, other environmental activists echoed the same and alleged that such a move will push the city to suffer further.

“The KRDCL can expand the road without chopping off trees and by building lanes on one side of the road,” an activist said. Dr Krishna MB, ecologist and ornithologist told News Trail, "We don't need a colonial mindset that overrides regional sentiments and use of the local biodiversity heritage. Trees are very much a part of our local biodiversity heritage, maintaining continuity as a linear element not only in space but in time too". He added that the loss of several such grown trees in the landscape would be “tragic”.

Further, Sandeep demanded that the Bengaluru development minister must appoint experienced urban planners and transport planners to the MPC, and issue a credible master plan as soon as possible, following the due process as per law to save the green cover.

“The projects that violate the law should be frozen including the non-statutory and non-plan development, besides cancelling the RMP 2015 and not allowing any projects listed under it”, he added.