DH Impact: Forest Dept steps in to prevent use of trees for Dasara illumination in Mysuru

Deputy Conservator of Forests writes to Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner Commissioner & Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation MD

Mysuru: Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Mysuru territorial division Paramesh has written to Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif and Managing Director of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) K M Munigopal Raju on stopping the use of trees for illumination during Dasara.

The Forest Department's intervention follows an article published in the Deccan Herald in this regard on September 7, 2025.

The DCF has asked the authorities to get all the wires entangled around trees in the city removed. He has quoted the National Green Tribunal ruling directing municipal bodies, civic agencies, government departments and others on removing electricity wires from trees.

The MCC Commissioner has promised to discuss the issue with Dasara Special Officer and Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy and take up corrective steps.

An article published in Deccan Herald on September 7, 2025, on the issue. 

The CESC uses trees for Dasara illumination by wrapping wires around them on several roads, and sometimes even cuts their healthy branches.

The article highlighted in detail the impact of illumination not just on the growth and health of trees but also on the lives of creatures that dwell on them.

When DH brought this issue to the notice of the office of the Chief Minister, Minister for Environment, Ecology and Forests Eshwar B Khandre and senior officials of the Forest Department, like ACCF Kumar Pushkar, they alerted Paramesh to take appropriate steps to prevent this.

Founding working president of Mysore Grahakara Parishat Bhamy Shenoy said, "It is disappointing to see trees right in front of the DC's residence on Hunsur road being used for illumination. In the article published in DH, the DC had promised that he would take steps to prevent this. Mentioning the article, the MGP had written to NGT State panel chief Subhash Adi and he has assured of writing to the Mysuru DC to prevent the usage of trees for illumination."

In his same letter to the MCC, Paramesh has referred to previous articles published in DH and has asked the civic Commissioner to get concrete or tar or interlocked tiles cleared from around the bases of all trees in the city.

Based on an article published in DH and directions by Khandre, the Forest Department had come up with a government order to ensure one-metre space around the bases of trees along the roadside in the entire Karnataka. The MCC Commissioner took action the for de-concretisation of bases of more than 108 trees on several roads in the city. However, there are many trees whose bases are still covered with concrete.

The article had highlighted how the health, growth, and survival of such trees are affected owing to inadequate aeration and percolation of water and nutrition to the roots.