Last rites for a 5-decade old tree in Bengaluru amid allegations of corruption

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The recent cutting down of a large raintree in RR Nagar has sparked outrage and allegations of corruption. The tree, which had stood for over 50 years, provided vital oxygen, shade, and habitat for local wildlife.

It was felled in just two hours by a land mafia, despite being under the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Forest Cell and its Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF). This action occurred despite the Forest Cell’s recent claims of planting 20,000 trees around Bengaluru lakesides—a claim now viewed with scepticism given the circumstances.

The removal was sanctioned by the Zonal Forest Officer for Rajarajeshwari Nagar under Rule 8 (3) of the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, due to the tree's hazardous condition. However, critics argue that the tree, situated in front of B.M. Prasanna Kumar’s residence, was healthy and had been providing significant ecological benefits for decades.

Subrahmanya Kodipadi, a techie and volunteer with "Nela Jala Parisara," criticised the decision, stating that the tree had been healthy and posed no real threat. He alleged that the order to cut the tree was given without proper inspection, and the removal was carried out swiftly by a contractor without due consideration.

Shankar Narayan, a 74-year-old resident who tried to prevent the tree’s removal, and others have complained to the Rajarajeshwarinagar police station against the Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP.

They argue that this incident is a grave injustice and highlights a larger issue of environmental mismanagement and corruption within the BBMP.

Malini, another local resident and volunteer at RR Nagar -I Care, criticised the BBMP for issuing permissions without verifying the tree’s status and raised concerns about the lack of compensatory planting.