<p>The city’s tree lovers, on Tuesday, counted the number of trees from Mehkri Circle to Hebbal, where the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) plans to axe trees for the steel flyover project. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Over 40 people from different walks of life gathered early morning to assess the condition of the trees which may be lost to the project costing Rs 1,791 crore of the tax-payers’ money. <br /><br />They found that all the 800 trees which the BDA wants to axe are healthy ones. There are over 40 species like sandalwood, tamarind, Indian Oak, Jamoon, Paper Mulberry, teak, neem and berry. Most of the trees have a girth of more than 50 metres and around 10 have a girth of over 300 metres. Most of them are heritage trees. <br /><br />The trees on the 6.9-km stretch command a huge price in the timber market. If the trees are axed and the wood is sold, it will fetch the government crores of rupees, said Praveen S, a tree lover. <br /><br />‘None sharing details’<br />Normally, government agencies maintain that the trees which are being axed are dead, weak, are dangerous and will harm the project. So, they need to be axed. But that is not the case here. Nobody is sharing details of the project and the trees, said tree expert Vijay Nishanth. <br /><br />In 2010, then High Court judge Justice D V Shylendra Kumar had stayed the felling of trees from Windsor Manor to Cantonment. This stretch then had 1,223 trees. The trees facing the axe have huge ecological value.<br /><br />“We did the preliminary assessment as the government and the BDA are not disclosing any information. This area is home to a variety of species of birds and butterflies. It is ironical that on one side, the government speaks about tree planting and on the other, it is mercilessly cutting trees for a wasteful project. If the government is backing the project, they should explain in public the reasons,” said V Kumar, a resident of Sadashivanagar. <br /><br />Tree committee<br />The Tree Committee, formed by the Karnataka High Court to assess all projects where over 50 trees will be axed, is agitated. A committee member said: “The Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, has cleared the proposal. But, if the details are not ready, how has the clearance been obtained? No proposal has come to us. We will wait for some time and if nothing comes to us, we will approach court and tell them about the contempt.” <br /> </p>
<p>The city’s tree lovers, on Tuesday, counted the number of trees from Mehkri Circle to Hebbal, where the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) plans to axe trees for the steel flyover project. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Over 40 people from different walks of life gathered early morning to assess the condition of the trees which may be lost to the project costing Rs 1,791 crore of the tax-payers’ money. <br /><br />They found that all the 800 trees which the BDA wants to axe are healthy ones. There are over 40 species like sandalwood, tamarind, Indian Oak, Jamoon, Paper Mulberry, teak, neem and berry. Most of the trees have a girth of more than 50 metres and around 10 have a girth of over 300 metres. Most of them are heritage trees. <br /><br />The trees on the 6.9-km stretch command a huge price in the timber market. If the trees are axed and the wood is sold, it will fetch the government crores of rupees, said Praveen S, a tree lover. <br /><br />‘None sharing details’<br />Normally, government agencies maintain that the trees which are being axed are dead, weak, are dangerous and will harm the project. So, they need to be axed. But that is not the case here. Nobody is sharing details of the project and the trees, said tree expert Vijay Nishanth. <br /><br />In 2010, then High Court judge Justice D V Shylendra Kumar had stayed the felling of trees from Windsor Manor to Cantonment. This stretch then had 1,223 trees. The trees facing the axe have huge ecological value.<br /><br />“We did the preliminary assessment as the government and the BDA are not disclosing any information. This area is home to a variety of species of birds and butterflies. It is ironical that on one side, the government speaks about tree planting and on the other, it is mercilessly cutting trees for a wasteful project. If the government is backing the project, they should explain in public the reasons,” said V Kumar, a resident of Sadashivanagar. <br /><br />Tree committee<br />The Tree Committee, formed by the Karnataka High Court to assess all projects where over 50 trees will be axed, is agitated. A committee member said: “The Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, has cleared the proposal. But, if the details are not ready, how has the clearance been obtained? No proposal has come to us. We will wait for some time and if nothing comes to us, we will approach court and tell them about the contempt.” <br /> </p>