Protest against tree felling on IISc campus

A group of residents on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus on Thursday organised a protest to raise concerns over the depleting green cover around the institute, caused by what they called unregulated construction activities.

The late evening protest on the campus saw members of families of IISc faculty and staff, including children, joining in.

Megha, wife of an IISc professor, said the protest was in response to the felling of trees on the campus for construction activities that have been taken up for almost a year. “We are looking at this as a Bengaluru issue, an issue of losing greenery. Construction activities have been increasing and the residents are notified of these developments in the form of restrictions (on movement),” she said.

A former researcher at the institute said he was aware of the resentment regarding the construction activities. “The campus is growing and new buildings will come up, but this approach to development that leaves a few key people with all the decision-making powers has to go. IISc is an important biodiversity spot and these decisions have to be made democratically,” he said.

Attempts made by DH to reach the institute’s administrators for comment failed.