BBMP to axe 120 eucalyptus trees NMM Park

Bengaluru: Bengaluru's civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a notification to cut down 120 eucalyptus trees in 7.5-acre National Military Memorial (NMM) Park, adjacent to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain park in the heart of the city.

These massive trees, sources say, will be axed to make space for installation of a MiG fighter plane.

According to a BBMP senior forest official, "there is a proposal to cut down these trees and plant medicinal plants in place of them. Some development work is currently underway. Eucalyptus trees can live up to 200 years if they are protected. They are rich in oil. Of late, many countries are removing the trees as they suck up a lot of groundwater. But these trees can live even in harshest weather conditions and survive even if there is a fire. We will be removing these trees and planting over nearly 400 medicinal plants in the park."

According to the figures shared by the Corporation, there are about 156 eucalyptus trees in the park and about 30 of them will not be cut. The Karnataka High Court, in a recent order, had rejected the Bengaluru Metro's proposal to cut down 629 eucalyptus trees to construct a depot at Kothnur.