Hasiru Usiru steps in to protect over 50 trees

Hasiru Usiru steps in to protect over 50 trees

The Hindu

BANGALORE: Over 50 trees on the stretch on R.V. Road from South-end Circle on Sunday sported cut-outs in the shape of protective hands, which were wrapped around them by the activists of the Hasiru Usiru, a tree-protection group.

The message in the embrace was: These trees are protected as per a High Court ruling on a public interest litigation filed by Environment Support Group on behalf of Hasiru Usiru against Bangalore Mahanagara Palike on the illegal felling of trees last year.

The order, passed in December 2005 by judges B. Padmaraj and V. Jagannathan, directed that any felling of trees must be done as per the provisions in the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act 1976, and before felling the trees, an opportunity should be given to representatives of Hasiru Usiru to inspect the area.

The Environment Support Group and Hasiru Usiru have contended that as part of the impending metro rail construction work, trees on a large section of R.V. Road and other areas in Jayanagar and other parts of the city, face the axe. Given this, an opportunity should have been given to Hasiru Usiru as per the High Court order, which has not been done, Rohan d'Souza of Hasiru Usiru said.