In hot city Ballari, PWD wants to axe 233 trees for road widening

Ballari: The public works department (PWD) has resumed the work to axe a total of 233 trees for widening the Kolagal road in the city, amid much opposition to the move by environmentalists.  

The felling of trees had been started on the night of April 24, without permission. It was stopped following the intervention of the police and forest department officials, but 25 trees had already been brought down.  

Separate FIRs have already been registered in this connection at the Cowl Bazaar police and with the forest department. 

Efforts have now been renewed to axe the trees. Among the trees marked for felling are 94 trees to widen the Ballari-Badanalli district road by 24 metres, under phase-5 of the state highway development project, 76 trees near Vidyanagar circle for road widening under appendix-E project, besides 63 others under the same project.    

It is said that cases have been registered against some aides of political leaders, PWD officials and contractor companies. 

The forest department had expressed dissatisfaction against the felling of trees in a communication to the PWD, saying, “Summer heat is on the rise in the city each year and felling trees on either side of the roads will only worsen the situation”.         

It had also suggested that the widening work can be undertaken without bringing down the trees, by remodelling the road shoulders. The forest department had cited recent orders of the National Green Tribunal in this regard. 

In its reply, the PWD stated that it was impossible to widen the roads by retaining the trees. 

“There will be no space for drainage and pedestrian walkway if trees are retained and it will also narrow down the carriageway. While shifting electricity poles, they may come in contact with tree branches, leading to a short circuit. The trees may be uprooted due to weakening of the roots during the road work,” the PWD said.

Tree branches may obstruct the riders’ view of the signages, it said.  The PWD also offered to pay the forest department for undertaking reforestation under the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, urging it to give details on the cost of reforestation and to permit axing of 94 trees on urgent basis.