Allowed to fell one, BBMP knocks off three trees

50-year-old trees felled at Gunjur on Varthur Road

BBMP officials felled three 50-year-old trees at Gunjur in Varthur road, when they had permission from the forest department to remove just one.

Pushpa GM, corporator of Varthur ward, asked permission from Mahadevapura zonal forest officer to fell a tree closer to a construction site that caused hurdles for vehicles to pass through.

Officials, however, cut down two more nearby trees.

“The trees were felled to the ground on Tuesday. When it caught my attention, I noticed a BBMP vehicle at the spot and some officials,” Jagadish Reddy, a resident of Gunjur, said.

“I enquired and found that permission had been given to remove one tree. The problem was the branches of just one tree which was in the middle of the other two felled trees. They could have pruned,” he added.

Following the issue, a resident Girish Reddy said residents of Gunjur would stage a protest if the corporator fails to take action.

Speaking to DH, corporator Pushpa GM said, “I’ll hold a meeting on Thursday with Gunjur residents and forest department officials and clarify the issue.”