Two trees axed

Two trees axed
Sunday June 10 2007 10:43 IST

BANGALORE: Forest Department chopped off two trees including a huge Gulmohar in the posh Sadashiva Nagar residential area on Saturday morning.

Forest Department had granted to itself the permission to axe two trees -a Gulmohar and a Stathodia- at 6th cross in Sadashivanagar after they received a requisition from a resident.

The department officials said that the two trees were chopped off and another one was pruned. However, when contacted, Krishna Udupudi, BBMP’s Deputy Conservator of Forests said Gulmohar tree has been cleared.

Stathodia tree which was over the drainage line is not exactly chopped off but ‘pruned’.

A medium-sized ‘Hole Dasavaala’ tree on the footpath was left untouched, he said.

Udupudi said that the axed Gulmohar tree was aged more than 25 years. “Gulmohar trees usually fall during rainy season,” he said.

According to sources, trees which have been chopped off were a hindrance to a Minister’s Bungalow which is under construction.

Environmentalist Suresh Heblikar said, “It is very unfortunate that instead of saving trees, they are chopping them off.”

Heblikar refuted the Palike official’s claim that Gulmohar lives out its life in 25 years. It lives much longer, he said.