AAP organises 'Sasyaagraha Chaluvali' against HDBRTS on August 23

To remind the officials of Hubballi-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit System (HDBRTS) about their obligations of planting more than 5,000 trees on the Avenue corridor of BRTS, the members of Aam Aadmi Party's Dharwad unit, on Saturday, announced that they would be organising ‘Sasyagraha Chaluvali’ on August 23.

Speaking to media persons at party’s office in Hubballi on Friday, AAP’s District President Santosh Nargund said that more than 4,800 trees were ‘massacred’ for implementation of the eight and six-lane dedicated corridor for HD-BRTS. However, the officials are not honouring their words on planting one tree within a distance of 10 meters apart.

“District In-charge Minister Jagadish Shettar calls HD-BRTS as his pet project and he is also claiming of making twin cities, a ‘City of future’. However, without giving importance to sustainable development and greenery how can we make our City future-ready,” he said.

Santosh also charged that the BRTS officials have hoodwinked the environment impact assessment department by under-reporting the total number of trees to be ‘sacrificed’ for the project.

“In 2011, when KRDCL was supposed to implement the project it had sought permission to cut 1,200 trees. However, when the project was completed the HD-BRTS officials had cut more than 4,800 trees,” he said and added that they are under an obligation of planting 10 times the trees that have been cut.

He also stated that the officials have not even provided sufficient space to plant these saplings on either side of the corridor.

Santosh claimed that officials do not have sufficient funds left to plant these trees. “Under one of the heads, HD-BRTS officials had allotted Rs 1.60 crore for planting saplings. However, of that Rs 90 lakh was spent on preparing project plan to plant the trees,” he said and added that the officials can hardly count and show the number of trees they have planted so far.

As a means to remind the officials about their obligations, members of AAP along with NGOs and environment lovers will plant saplings at Navanagar bus stand at 11:30 am on Monday.

“We will wait for HD-BRTS officials response for few days and if they do not take up the planting of saplings during this monsoon season, we will be forced to intensify our protest,” he said.

Party leaders Vikas Soppin, Shashikumar Sullad, Shivakumar Bagalkot and others were also present.