Villagers chase away contractors felling trees

Saving green

On Shidlaghatta-Bangalore Road which passes through the villages of Keshavpur, Appegowdanahalli, Chowdasandra and Melur there are trees which are over 25 years old.
They provide shade from the sun to the people who walk on this road.

While trees in many villages have been felled due to due to encroachment and greed trees in many surrounding villages, the trees in Melur village have survived.

Warning

About three months ago when the contractors were erecting poles the Grama Panchayat President warned them not to cut the trees. 

A complaint was also filed with the Forest Department in this connection. However, when the contractor suddenly decided to cut the trees the villagers prevented him from doing so.

“Earlier poles were erected away from the road so that the trees could be prevented from cutting, but now the poles are being erected close to the road necessitating the cutting of trees. The contractors were asked not to erect poles in between trees and that they would no allow cutting of trees.

No permission

However, without taking permission of the grama panchayat they started cutting trees. We will not allow the cutting of trees which are providing shade to thosands of people”, said Zilla Panchayat President K S Manjunath.

“The trees which are not found on other roads are found here. We will protect these trees as our wealth we will not allow the cutting down for tree”, said A M
Thyagaraj of Appegowdanahalli.

Range Forest Officer Srinivasmurthy that they have written to Bescom not to cut down the trees. Under such circumstances the cutting down of trees is a crime and action will be taken against the contractors.