Demise’ of a healthy rain tree, ‘funeral’ on Thursday

Demise’ of a healthy rain tree, ‘funeral’ on Thursday
Thursday November 16 2006 09:21 IST

BANGALORE: This healthy rain tree which stood for 20 years, opposite the bus stop in First block Rajajinagar, finally laid down its life on Tuesday, after surviving two murder attempts in the past.

The tree was mercilessly uprooted to save a girl’s life, as the location of the tree was astrologically wrong!

The die-hard belief in Vaastu cost this tree its life, as local resident B S Ramesh, a doctor by profession, was advised to remove the tree outside his compound for his daughter’s safety by a Vaastu consultant.

On Thursday, eco-activists of People For Animals (PFA), Hasiru Usiru and Samrpana organisation will conduct a mock funeral of the dead tree by paying homage on the ground, where the tree stood.

Sharath Babu of PFA told this paper that, earlier too, Dr Ramesh had made two illegal attempts to remove the tree and had got orders (DCF PR 736 06-07 dated 17.05.06) for tree felling by furnishing false information on the status of a healthy 20-year-old rain tree from the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

“Based on a distress call, PFA volunteers rushed and managed to stop a healthy tree from being axed, after which a huge drama followed at the Mahalakshmipuram police station. Dr B S Ramesh managed to rush his friend, Nagaraj, who is also the Inspector of Srirampuram police station, totally unconnected with the issue,” he said.

PFA, Hasiru Usiru, Samarpana and other residents protested and even managed to get the BMP authorities to look into the false information furnished.

Nagaraj allegedly abused the volunteers, following which the activists lodged a complaint against him with the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Malleswaram division on 11.6.06.

BMP Tree Officer DCF Udpudi D Krishna, promised to look into the mischief as the tree felling orders were issued by him twice, based on false reports provided by his subordinates.

Inspite of this, in the wee hours of November 14, the healthy tree has been chopped and all the branches removed with no trace of the tree.

DCF Krishna Udapudi had again given permission to fell the same tree.

When volunteers enquired, the DCF said that he was given wrong information by his juniors hence, he gave the permission to fell the tree.