Mysuru: Environmentalists oppose move to cut trees to widen road

Mysuru: Tree lovers and environmentalists strongly opposed the move of the forest department and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to cut 573 trees to widen the road from Bannur ring road junction to Nanjanagudu ring road junction.

At a meeting called by NHAI and forest department on Saturday, officials explained that earlier 1000 plus trees were identified for felling the service road. Later they decided to clear 573 trees. NHAI officials explained that people are facing hardship because of lack of service road for 9 km and cutting of trees is inevitable to widen the road.

The officials tried to convince the people that they were as much concerned about conserving trees as the environmentalists and cutting 573 trees would not harm much. But the environmentalists strongly opposed the move.

When ACF Ranga Swamy said that 24 persons gave applications expressing themselves in favour of cutting trees, environmentalist Malavika Gubbivani insisted that the officials bring before the meeting at least one person supporting the move. She alleged that no one is supporting tree cutting proposal and forest officials have created fake applications.

Mysuru City Corporation and Mysuru Urban Development Authority officials did not attend meeting.