‘Timber mafia behind axing of trees’

‘Timber mafia behind axing of trees’


Express News Service
First Published : 28 Dec 2008 09:00:19 AM IST
Last Updated : 28 Dec 2008 12:37:11 PM IST

BANGALORE: Former High Court judge M F Saldanha alleged on Saturday that the timber mafia was behind the largescale axing of trees in the city.

Speaking at a national conference on ‘Urban Environment - Present Scenario and Future Strategies’ here at Central College, Saldanha said that according to the environment research report, about 2,000 trees were chopped every month in Bangalore this year. “Last year alone around 28,000 trees were felled here,” he stated.

He said axing trees was not the only means for development of cities and researchers should find alternatives.

Emphasising the importance of conserving environment, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Shobha Karandlaje, said policy makers should be made aware of future strategies in protecting environment.

Shobha said the explosive growth of urban life has affected environment considerably.

The Minister lashed out at industries polluting the environment by violating Pollution Control Board norms. “It is high time we wake up to the deteriorating environment and see that it is our duty to keep the environment clean for future generations,” Shobha added.

She said universities and research institutes should chalk out strategies and proposals should be made to government based on their findings.

The conference was organised by the Department of Environmental Sciences, Bangalore University and the National Environmental Science Academy, New Delhi.