City will soon turn barren

City will soon turn barren

Each time trees are felled it contributes to global warming

Bosky Khanna. Bangalore

Every month Bangalore loses over 12,000 trees for infrastructure development. According to Justice MF Saldanha, Karnataka is 10% ahead of other states in loosing its green cover and forest area.
Quoting the letter he wrote to chief minister BS Yeddyurappa recently, Justice Saldanha said: "If things move at this pace, then by the time the chief minister completes his tenure there will be no green belt left in Bangalore. It is suicidal to cut trees just to widen roads by four feet, which does not help in reducing traffic congestion. Metro alone has felled 9,500 trees and will totally fell 15,000 trees.''
Speaking on the sidelines of the national seminar on 'Practical Climate Solutions' in Bangalore on Monday, he added that each time trees are felled it contributes to global warming and increases the green house gas emission. If the present state continues there will be no trees left in Bangalore and Karnataka's forests will become barren lands.
The seminar was organised by Bangalore University (BU) in association with Rotary Bangalore, Jayanagar and All India Management Association.
"The Metro has spent Rs16,000 crore since the project started and till date not even 10 per cent of the work is completed. The mono rail concept is better than the metro rail as it is economically viable and eco- friendly. With mono rail public transport will reduce by 40-60 per cent. But the government is ignoring this,'' he added.
BU Chairman, Department of Environment Science, Dr RK Somashekar said: "Carbon dioxide and methane are the prime reasons for changing climate.
This has an impact on the health, geology, forest and coastal areas. In order to combat climate change, vehicles which are over 15-20 years should be scrapped. People should make maximum use of the public transport systems. The motor vehicle act should be regulated and a clean air act should be imposed like in the United States. This act monitors the emission levels very strictly, he added.''