3 trees fall prey to 'mistaken identity'

For trees in Bengaluru, it is not just "coming in the way" of development projects that threaten their existence, even proximity to the marked ones is likely to bring down an axe on their trunk.

Three trees, all of them about 30 to 40 feet tall, along the compound wall of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) were cut down in a case of "mistaken identity" as the contractor thought they were the part of 44 trees that were to make way for the Gottigere-Nagavara metro project (Phase 2).

The matter came to light when S Nityananda, a resident of the locality, saw the tree trunks lying helplessly on footpath last month.

"About 10 trees were axed without a second thought, though all of them were fit for translocation. I enquired with the officials, and they said there was no need to cut these trees as the metro station was not coming up at the particular site," he told DH.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Deputy Conservator of Forests M K Cholarajapp confirmed the incident.

"Officials have inspected the site. Bommanahalli Range Forest Officer has registered an FIR. Necessary action will be taken against those responsible for the incident," he said.

Following a request by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the forest division of the BBMP had given an order to cut 44 trees on the stretch. Officials said the contractor, who bagged the tender, employed another person to cut trees.

"It seems to be a genuine case of mistaken identity as the (sub) contractor didn't know that the three trees were not marked for felling," a forest official said.

Nityananda, also a trustee at Banglore Environmental Trust, said most of the trees that were cut down were Buddha's Coconut (Pterygota alata) trees that grow up to a height of 70 feet.

"Tree transplantation experts of our trust said they were fit to be relocated. The BMRCL has translocated about 250 trees. And relocating another 10 trees could not have hurt them," he said.

D T Devare of the trust noted that "mistaken identity" could not be an excuse.

"The BMRCL and BBMP have been violating the rules by not holding public consultations for tree cutting. In this case, the contractor and officials should have monitored the exercise instead of leaving the work to the discretion of the subcontractor," he said.

He expressed concern that many trees may have been cut deliberately under the excuse of mistaken identity.

"If mistaken identity constitutes murder in the case of humans, why the same principle should not be applied trees," he said.