40 trees axed to widen road in Mysuru

Bengaluru: As many as 40 fully grown most of them exotic species-Peltophorum Pterocarpum (Yellow Flame Tree) were axed on a stretch of road from Kalika Temple near Central City Mall to Superintendent of Police, Mysuru office in Jyothi Nagar of Mysuru city on Sunday. However, environmentalists expressed displeasure over axing of trees en masse. Along with Peltophorum, a rain tree and a couple of Gum Arabic trees were axed on the road stretch. 

While forest officials accorded permission to axe trees, Mysore City Corporation personnel axed them.

Forest officials told that the permission to axe trees was granted to 

Mysore City Corporation as per rules and after going through documents on road widening works proposed by Mysore City Corporation. In reply, the source in the forest department stated “Axing of more than 50 needs a public hearing.” “We found the reason genuine and plan, tender were checked by forest officials prior to giving permission for tree



felling,” said the source in forest department and stated the MCC paid 1:10 of value of trees axed to take up afforestation works for the loss of trees on the stretch of the road.

The road will be widened from 50-ft to 100-ft but locals stated the idea to construct a double road on the stretch of the road since vehicular movement has been a smooth affair. An environmentalist stated “The age-old trees could have been saved since there was plenty of space available to widening the road. But, officials have ignored it.” Environmentalists suspect the timing chosen to axe trees. 

Officials chose Sunday to axe trees in order to avoid opposition to tree felling by residents and activists. Locals said it took about 45-minutes for the personnel to bring down trees and they found fully grown trees reduced to stumps before residents woke up to the assault on trees. DCF Basavaraj could not be contacted for his reaction to the tree felling.