In the name of development many trees are being felled
Bengaluru is fast turning into a desert. To improve the city’s infrastructure, the government has planned train projects worth Rs 1,000 crore and for that trees will be felled. This week, the state government announced railway projects worth Rs 600 crore including local rail, mono rail and high speed rail link projects. The city’s urbanisation drive has led to a massive tree felling. According to official sources, in the last two years the garden city has lost nearly 5,000 trees.
Shockingly, half of Bengaluru’s greenery has been destroyed for road widening, flyovers and other projects. By now more than 300 lakes have dried up. Besides, some 50,000 trees have been axed for various development works. In 2008, a joint survey conducted by Bengaluru Environment Trust and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)showed that the city has less than 7 per cent of its area under tree cover. In fact, the tree cover has come down to less than 50 per cent in a few decades. Now Bengaluru has only 15 lakh trees in its green belt. Dr A. N. Yellappa Reddy, environmentalist and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, says: “Nearly 50,000 trees have been felled for Namma Metro and other projects. A lot of damage has been done to the environment in the name of development during the last decade. There is hardly any tree left in the city. If the government continues with its projects then even the existing trees will perish. There is nothing left to protest.”
Environmentalists are vehemently opposing the Metro project as they know that more trees will fell. Besides, a portion of Lalbagh — the world’s famous garden of the city — will also be destroyed. But the authorities are least bothered about it. They have gone ahead with their projects. Currently, several trees were felled on the Mysore road for widening it. The BBMP is trying to revive the greenery by planting saplings. “We have already planted some eight lakh saplings in the last three years,” says Shanthakumar, a forest conservator, who works with the BBMP. But, environmentalists are not convinced. They aren’t sure whether these actions will get the required results.
“Who will donate four-square feet land for greenery when a square feet is worth Rs 5,000? People need to understand the value of having trees around. They should plant new ones in their areas. Felling of trees has an impact on the environment also. It has led to warm weather and heat waves in the city. Air circulation has also reduced due to the dense residential development and loss of tree cover,” says Yellappa Reddy.
Bengaluru is fast turning into a desert. To improve the city’s infrastructure, the government has planned train projects worth Rs 1,000 crore and for that trees will be felled. This week, the state government announced railway projects worth Rs 600 crore including local rail, mono rail and high speed rail link projects. The city’s urbanisation drive has led to a massive tree felling. According to official sources, in the last two years the garden city has lost nearly 5,000 trees.
Shockingly, half of Bengaluru’s greenery has been destroyed for road widening, flyovers and other projects. By now more than 300 lakes have dried up. Besides, some 50,000 trees have been axed for various development works. In 2008, a joint survey conducted by Bengaluru Environment Trust and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)showed that the city has less than 7 per cent of its area under tree cover. In fact, the tree cover has come down to less than 50 per cent in a few decades. Now Bengaluru has only 15 lakh trees in its green belt. Dr A. N. Yellappa Reddy, environmentalist and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, says: “Nearly 50,000 trees have been felled for Namma Metro and other projects. A lot of damage has been done to the environment in the name of development during the last decade. There is hardly any tree left in the city. If the government continues with its projects then even the existing trees will perish. There is nothing left to protest.”
Environmentalists are vehemently opposing the Metro project as they know that more trees will fell. Besides, a portion of Lalbagh — the world’s famous garden of the city — will also be destroyed. But the authorities are least bothered about it. They have gone ahead with their projects. Currently, several trees were felled on the Mysore road for widening it. The BBMP is trying to revive the greenery by planting saplings. “We have already planted some eight lakh saplings in the last three years,” says Shanthakumar, a forest conservator, who works with the BBMP. But, environmentalists are not convinced. They aren’t sure whether these actions will get the required results.
“Who will donate four-square feet land for greenery when a square feet is worth Rs 5,000? People need to understand the value of having trees around. They should plant new ones in their areas. Felling of trees has an impact on the environment also. It has led to warm weather and heat waves in the city. Air circulation has also reduced due to the dense residential development and loss of tree cover,” says Yellappa Reddy.
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