DH Impact: CESC chiefs stop using trees for Dasara illumination; assure to remove existing ones soon

Mysureans led by MGP took up Appiko Chaluvali, hugged wired trees, urged to remove wires without any delay

Mysuru: Followed by a series of reports published in DH, Chairperson of Chamundeshwari Electricity Corporation Ramesh Bandi Siddegowda and MD CESC K M Munigopal Raju informed that they have stopped using trees further, for Dasara Illumination. They will form a team of officials of the Forest Department and CESC and remove the existing wires wrapped to trunks and branches of trees on at least major stretches soon.

Mysuru district in-charge minister, H C Mahadevappa, vice president of guarantee schemes implementation committee Pushpa Amarnath, Conservator of Forest, Mysore Circle S S Ravishankar took up the issue with CESC MD and Chairperson at Dasara Executive Committee meeting held at Mysuru Palace board on Sunday. Followed by that CESC MD assured of removing wires from trees immediately on some major stretches like Chamaraja double road, Vinobha road, Lalitha Mahal road (from Sangolli Rayanna circle to Lalitha Mahal gate), few trees near RTO circle, few trees in front of Maharaja's college ground on Krishna Raja Boulevard road and others.

Mysuru DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy said that they will form a committee and take a report from CF Ravishankar on impact of wires on trees and creatures living on them.

About the need for another Report, DCF Mysuru territorial division K Paramesh said that he has already written to MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif and MD CESC quoting the judgement of National Green Tribunal in which it has directed municipal bodies, civic agencies, government departments and others for the removal of electric wires on trees.

CESC officials continued to claim that the electricity passed in these wires is mild; they wired trees where the stretch is thick and they have not made alternate plans for these roads. Experts argued that while the entire city is illuminated, let them exempt such roads with thick trees as Green zones, and save the existing greenery of Green City and silent small creatures which they support.

Meanwhile, members of Mysore Grahakara Parishat, several environmentalists and concerned citizens took up Appiko Chaluvali and hugged trees wrapped with wires on Vinobha road in front of DC's residence. They urged to remove wires on trees without any further delay. Founding working President of MGP Bhamy V Shenoy, Convenor of MGP Dayanand, Environmentalist Banu Mohan and others participated.

DH came up with a series of Reports on September 7, 12, 13 and 14 highlighting how nailing and wrapping trees with wires would affect the health of trees and the creatures which dwell on them.

Taking note of the reports published in DH, officials of Forest Department, office of Forest minister alerted Mysuru division DCF K Paramesh. Paramesh wrote a letter to the MCC Commissioner and MD CESC. Asif discussed with DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy. Followed by intervention of Minister H C Mahadevappa and Minister for Environment, Ecology and Forests Eshwar B Khandre, CESC MD agreed to stop using trees for illumination. But they are yet to remove the existing trees.