Cubbon Park loses 12 trees to rains in one month

By Rachana Ramesh | NT

Bengaluru: Over 12 trees have fallen due to rains inside the Cubbon park premises in the past month. The forest wing of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will survey the fallen trees on Thursday. The trees will be auctioned after the BBMP fixes a price. The highest bidder will get the right to axe the trees and transport them.

On World Environment Day on June 5, new saplings will be planted in place of the fallen trees, said H T Balakrishna, Deputy Director (Cubbon Park), Department of Horticulture. “Heavy winds and downpour are the main reasons for the uprooting of the trees. Old trees and those that have weak stems cannot withstand these harsh weather conditions,” he said.

Cubbon Park is currently home to 9,800 trees. A survey conducted last month revealed that the number has increased by 2,500 in the last 10 years, said Balakrishna.

During the monsoon seasons of June, July and August each year, the department conducts plantation drives. “This year we have planned to add 1,000 trees within the borders of the park. They will be planted in place of the fallen trees and spaces that are left barren with grass,” he added.

Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association urged the authorities to take measures to safeguard existing trees and plant new saplings.

“The falling of trees has increased due to bad weather and the planting of saplings has decreased,” said S Umesh, President, Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association.

“Many years ago, Cubbon Park would be confused for a forest and one could not even see five meters of Husdon Circle from inside the park. But now, one can see the High Court and the end of MG road too,” he lamented.

“The uprooting of many trees has turned many spaces inside the park into open fields. There must be a plan to safeguard the already existing trees and the plantation of new saplings must happen consistently,” he said.