BBMP contractor axes trees for vaastu

BBMP contractor axes trees for vaastu


Imran KhanFirst Published : 19 Mar 2009 04:50:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 19 Mar 2009 10:58:43 AM IST
BANGALORE: As if trees being cut for road-widening were not enough, some are getting chopped for vaastu now. A BBMP contractor has axed three Gulmohar trees in front of his house at Sadashivnagar, claiming they were standing against the vaastu of the house.
Maile Gowda, a BBMP contractor for the past 10 years, was on the way to chopping off a fourth one too, but timely intervention by the neighbours saved the tree.
Gowda purchased the house a year-and-a-half back and explained to his neighbours who confronted him that the trees were not good for the vaastu of his house and that he had obtained permission from the BBMP to chop them.
“The BBMP had given permission for only two trees, but he has chopped three already and would have chopped another one too,” said Venkat, a man who caught the whole event on video.
“I don’t know how the BBMP gave him the permission since they weren’t dead trees though the contractor claims they were,” he added.
Venkat went ahead and launched a complaint with the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) and BBMP officials. “Nothing has happened so far,” he said.
Dr Devika and Vedam Jaishankar, Maile Gowda’s neighbours, said that around 10 am, people came with axes and started chopping down a tree which was in a perfect condition. They confronted Gowda, who told them that as the trees were not good for the house’s vaastu, the earlier inhabitants of the house had lost their mental stability.
When Express asked Maile Gowda about the event, he denied any knowledge of it at first. But later he acknowledged that two trees had been cut with the permission of BBMP.
Maile Gowda, however, could not recall the name of the Tree Officer who granted him the permission. He also dismissed the claim that the trees were felled for vaastu reasons. “The trees were old and could have caused damage to the public,” he claimed.
When contacted Tree Officer Suresh said, “We get hundreds of applications every day and it is hard to remember each of them.” However, he vaguely remembered this case and said that permission could have been granted on technical grounds.BBMP contractor axes trees for vaastu


Imran KhanFirst Published : 19 Mar 2009 04:50:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 19 Mar 2009 10:58:43 AM IST
BANGALORE: As if trees being cut for road-widening were not enough, some are getting chopped for vaastu now. A BBMP contractor has axed three Gulmohar trees in front of his house at Sadashivnagar, claiming they were standing against the vaastu of the house.
Maile Gowda, a BBMP contractor for the past 10 years, was on the way to chopping off a fourth one too, but timely intervention by the neighbours saved the tree.
Gowda purchased the house a year-and-a-half back and explained to his neighbours who confronted him that the trees were not good for the vaastu of his house and that he had obtained permission from the BBMP to chop them.
“The BBMP had given permission for only two trees, but he has chopped three already and would have chopped another one too,” said Venkat, a man who caught the whole event on video.
“I don’t know how the BBMP gave him the permission since they weren’t dead trees though the contractor claims they were,” he added.
Venkat went ahead and launched a complaint with the Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) and BBMP officials. “Nothing has happened so far,” he said.
Dr Devika and Vedam Jaishankar, Maile Gowda’s neighbours, said that around 10 am, people came with axes and started chopping down a tree which was in a perfect condition. They confronted Gowda, who told them that as the trees were not good for the house’s vaastu, the earlier inhabitants of the house had lost their mental stability.
When Express asked Maile Gowda about the event, he denied any knowledge of it at first. But later he acknowledged that two trees had been cut with the permission of BBMP.
Maile Gowda, however, could not recall the name of the Tree Officer who granted him the permission. He also dismissed the claim that the trees were felled for vaastu reasons. “The trees were old and could have caused damage to the public,” he claimed.
When contacted Tree Officer Suresh said, “We get hundreds of applications every day and it is hard to remember each of them.” However, he vaguely remembered this case and said that permission could have been granted on technical grounds.