Road widening: Greens threaten to move NGT over tree felling proposal

National Environment Care Federation (NECF) secretary H Shashidhar Shetty has warned of filing a case with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), if Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) and the Forest department go ahead with the felling of 34 trees for the widening of Nandigudda-Marnamikatta stretch.

“The residents had stiffly opposed the felling of 34 trees at a meeting convened by the Forest department and the MSCL here on September 8,” recollected Shashidhar Shetty, while addressing the media persons at the Patrika Bhavan.

At the meeting, the greens had argued with the ACF (Assistant Conservator of Forests) that there is a parallel road connecting Nandigudda and Marnamikatta.

Traffic issues can be solved by declaring the road as one way, Shetty said.

The 34 trees that are likely to be axed, have been there for over 80 years, Benedict Fernandes, a resident said.

“We also had written letters dated September 12, to 13 officials, including the chief secretary and the principal secretary, arguing that the felling of 34 trees was unwarranted. As these officials are puppets in the hands of political leaders, we have not received any response so far,” Sashidhar Shetty alleged.

The decision to fell 34 trees, is against the previous judgements of the National Green Tribunal, which has ordered that the decisions on felling trees should be taken by the Urban Tree Committee (UTC). Unfortunately, the notification on setting up the UTC has been pending with the government for the last three years,
Benedict said.

The greens also appealed to the residents to exercise their rights under Article 51-G (duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve environment) and save the trees from being chopped.

Activists, including Harish Rajkumar, Anitha S Bhandarkar and Madhusudhan, were also present in the press conference.