Branches of trees cut for PM Narendra Modi visit resented by nature lovers

Mandya: In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city on March 12, to inaugurate newly constructed Bengaluru Mysuru express way , forest officials have cut branches of trees on both sides of national highway has attracted criticism from nature lovers of Mandya.

At 12 noon on that day, the Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the ten-lane expressway at Gejjalagere , after that he would hold a roadshow from tourist bungalow to Kempegowda Park in Maddur. The forest officials cut the branches of the trees on both sides of the road late on Monday night citing the Prime Minister's security. People came to know that the tree was felled on Tuesday morning when the vehicles were on the road.

Only half of the trees on the roadside have been cut down. Five or six branches have been cut in one tree. Hundreds of years ago, these trees enhanced the beauty of the highway, providing shade to the travellers on the highway. Now only a part of the trees remain and the beauty of road has deteriorated. It would not have been boring if the branches bent over the road had been cut as part of the Prime Minister's visit. But cutting down half of the trees has caused great pain. Environment lover Manjunath questioned whether these trees, which were giving life to the people, were giving trouble to the Prime Minister.

'The RFO has taken action as per the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner. I don't have much information about that," said Rudran, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mandya.