Karnataka: Environmentalists oppose deputy commissioner's office shifting

MANGALURU: Environmentalists are up in arms against the district administration over the proposal to shift the deputy commissioner’s office to a wooded two-hectare plot owned by the forest department in Padil, on the outskirts of this port city.

These environmentalists have moved the National Green Tribunal (South Zone), Chennai, pointing at the fact that the site ought to be considered a deemed forest, given the fact that hundreds of trees cover the area and about 60,000 saplings are nurtured here for distribution in various areas. “The 2.38 hectare land is filled with various types of trees and using the seeds of these trees, the forest department nurtures about 60,000 saplings every year.

“In addition seeds from other parts are also brought to this place for multiplication. In a year about 1.5 lakh saplings are nurtured in this land for distribution. Experts have identified about 35 species of animals and birds here, but the government wants this land to be cleared to build DC’s office” said Shashidhar Shetty, secretary of the state unit of National Environment Care Federation.