Please leave your axe outside
Bangalore Environment Trust
Bangalore Cantonment Railway Colony
There is public cynicism due to apathy on the part of officials. Regular public consultations for projects involving the removal of trees will restore some faith and will also lead to better participation
—Dattatreya Devare, Bangalore Environment Trust
Going forward, the Forest Department of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will hold public consultation meetings for every development project in the city that requires felling of more than 50 trees.The decision has been taken after an overwhelming number of objections raised by Bengalureans in response to BBMP's recent public notice on a proposal to cut more than 350 trees on the Cantonment Railway Colony campus by the Ministry of Railways for a commercial project.According to BLG Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, the only criterion for holding public consultations will be objections filed by citizens.'Here on, we will have public consultation for every project that requires cutting down more than 50 trees and has received a considerable number of objections from the public. User agencies will have to justify the removal of trees to the citizens,' said Swamy.City-based tree activists have welcomed the move. However, they say public consultations should be held for projects even in the city's outskirts. 'Number of objections' should not be the criterion.'While it is a step forward, it should not be limited to projects that receive public attention due to various factors. Moreover, there is public cynicism due to apathy on the part of officials. Regular public consultations for projects involving the removal of trees will restore some faith and will also lead to better participation,' said Dattatreya Devare, trustee ofThe public notice published by the Palike on April 25 regarding the removal of 368 trees for a 'commercial development project' atcampus has perturbed hundreds of citizens and tree activists.'We are flooded with objections from citizens against the project. Officials from the Forest Department have tried to understand the nature of the project, but the user agency has been secretive so far,' said a BBMP official.Citizens, through objections sent to BBMP, say that while they acknowledge the importance of development, the environmental cost of cutting down mature, fully-grown trees cannot be understated.They have underlined that Bengaluru already faces severe air pollution and environmental degradation. The removal of 388 trees will only worsen the city's climate resilience and exacerbate pollution levels, further degrading the quality of life for residents.'Mature trees play a critical role in the urban ecosystem. They mitigate air pollution, reduce urban heat island effects, and provide critical habitats for birds, insects, and other wildlife.The trees in question are likely to be old-growth species that have provided a habitat for local biodiversity for decades. These trees contribute to maintaining ecological balance, and any removal will disrupt this balance, endangering local wildlife,' said one of the citizens' objections.In response to the notice, citizens also said that cutting down mature trees is directly at odds with the sustainability goals of the ongoing climate crisis. Instead of removing these trees, the focus should be on developing the project in a manner that coexists with nature.According to Vijay Nishant, founder of Project Vruksha and a member of the Bengaluru Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC), the trees that have been proposed to be felled are heritage trees and should not be felled at any cost.'Bengaluru is already witnessing a sizzling summer and urban heat island effect. The trees proposed to be felled are heritage trees that are also a testament to Bengaluru's rich natural heritage and history. If removed, the loss will be irreparable. This is an example of a project that should not be considered by the Tree Expert Committee,' said Nishant.City-based tree activists and citizens have thus urged BBMP to explore alternatives that would allow for development without compromising Bengaluru's environmental health.'We request that this notice be reviewed with the environmental implications in mind, and that any action that might lead to the destruction of these trees be halted immediately.Citizens' concerns must be taken into account before any final decisions are made. We are more than willing to engage in further discussions or explore alternative solutions that protect the environment while meeting development goals,' noted another objection filed by a citizen.
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