BENGALURU: As many as 764 trees may be axed to make way for namma metro phase 2 at a time when Bengalureans are complaining about rise in temperatures. Phase 1 saw 1,040 trees being felled and Phase 2, with a budget of Rs 26,000 crore, has not even secured funding as yet.
Bengaluru residents are yet to see the Detailed Project Report or the map, but they already plan to cut trees anyway. About 313 very old and giant trees will have to fall between Kanakapura Road and Mysore Road, that is, 190 trees on Kanakapura Road and 123 trees on Mysore Road, to make way for metro Phase 2, which is supposed to start shortly. This plan has received stiff resistance from many sections of people.
Initially, the BBMP tree officer had called for a meeting in Sadashivanagar on November 17, 2015 seeking public feedback on the proposed felling of 313 trees (the vestigial remains of the living heritage of Bangalore, 190 trees on Kanakapura Road and 123 trees on Mysore Road) to construct further phases of the metro. Barely a day's notice was given, so there was only the participation of a single individual from the public. Bowing to widespread public protests over such haphazard organization of hearings, the meeting was postponed and it was scheduled again at the same venue on November 24, where over 50 people gathered.
Majority of the people showcased their opposition against the tree cutting. They opined unanimously that the route should be devised in such a way that no trees are cut. Nikita from ESG, an environment support group, said, “BBMP officials said that BMRCL had proposed that over 200 trees should be cut and it was BBMP who managed to bring in down to 123. Residents demanded that the officials show them what trees have avoided, which are the routes. Everybody wanted to see the map of the metro and as usual BBMP had come unprepared.”
There were many in the crowd who said that they do not want the metro, but the trees. In fact, a few experts want the metro map, so that they can help in devising a metro map without cutting the trees. Their aim: to help the metro come up with better routes. Finally, BBMP said they would collect all the information for the citizens and call another public meeting in the coming days.
Various individuals demanded that the proceedings be postponed till such time as Bangalore Metro was able to comply first with the direction of the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka, involving compliance with Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. Once these statutory clearances are secured, then, and only then, could any public consultation and decision-making related to felling of trees be initiated, they argued. In the meantime, they seek to know the activities undertaken for the damage done to trees under Phase I. This ought to be done, they said, by providing accurate details, including exact location of saplings, their survival, and ability to independently verify the success of afforestation and also sharing publicly the accounts and reports of these
efforts.
BMRCL claims to have planted 20,000 trees during Phase 1
According to the Karnataka tree act, if you cut one tree, you have to plant two trees the next day. But who is monitoring this?
In 2009, BMRCL planned to cut 300 plus trees in Nanda road for the Metro. After a sustained campaign, the number of trees that were cut was around 170. The Sankey Road road-widening project where trees were cut in the night amidst stiff opposition, had to be dropped.
The Public Meeting was called by the tree officer in compliance with the direction of the Hon'ble High Court where public involvement in such decisions has been made mandatory. The Court had deemed “it necessary to direct that felling of trees would be undertaken as an exception rather than a rule, and further that the tree officer and tree authority would fully satisfy themselves and certify that all other alternatives have been considered regarding the feasibility of the felling of trees. If any objections are received from the public, due consideration shall be given by assigning reasons.”
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