Amid protest by greens, NHAI temporarily stops cutting trees between KPT and Nanthoor junctions

NHAI stops tree cutting on NH 66 amid protest; 370 trees to be translocated from Oct 5. Activists demand presence of Forest Dept officials & transparency in project execution. Red paint marks 370 trees for translocation.

Amid protest by green activists, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Tuesday temporarily stopped the tree cutting between Karnataka Polytechnic (KPT) and Nanthoor junctions on National Highway 66 for constructing flyovers at the junctions.

The NHAI was cutting the trees since October 1 also to build the 1.6-km-long service road between the two junctions. Assistant Conservator of Forests and Tree Officer P. Sridhar, on September 16, permitted the NHAI to translocate 370 roadside trees with girth between 0.2 cm and 0.6 cm, and cutting of remaining 232 trees. The 602 trees are on the NHAI land and it has paid to the Forest Department ₹54.3 lakh, which includes ₹39.25 lakh towards planting 6,020 saplings as compensatory afforestation.

Several green activists, including students of two city colleges, assembled near Paduva College on Tuesday morning where NHAI had cut three Mahogany trees. “The three trees were among the saplings planted by us eight years ago. They were fit for translocation, but has been cut down,” said protesting activist Jeeth Milan Roache.

The activists were not convinced with the explanation of the NHAI officials that they did not cut down any tree identified for translocation. At the same time, the police intervened and spoke to senior district administration officials who asked the police to facilitate cutting of trees. Amid protest, the NHAI cut two trees. The activists were asked to approach Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan.

Then activist Kishore Attavar from Citizen for Sustainable Development and a senior activist from the National Environment Care Federation (NECF) pointed out at the mistake in the order passed by Mr. Sridhar where the number of trees to be cut has been mentioned as 272. The activists demanded presence of Forest Department officials at the site of tree cutting and asked the NHAI to stop cutting trees till then.

Around noon, Mr. Sridhar arrived at the spot. Then the activists insisted on taking up translocation of trees first. While asking the NHAI to stop tree cutting, Mr. Sridhar said that translocation of 370 trees will start from October 5. The department has selected a few areas on the outskirts of the city for translocation of trees. All the 370 trees meant for translocation have been identified with red paint, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Attavar accused the district officials of not taking any steps for modifying the designs of flyovers and service roads to save trees. The NHAI officials have failed to show activists the design of the flyovers and maintain transparency in execution of the project, he said.