Help us save trees’

Help us save trees’


Express News Service First Published : 24 Jun 2010 10:51:26 AM IST
BANGALORE: The state government, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and other urban development departments have decided to widen more than 240 roads in the city. Saddened by this, many environmental forums met A Ravindra, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Urban Affairs on Wednesday.
Environmental forums such as Bangalore Environmental Trust, Swabhimana, Praja and several other members of National Institute of Advanced Studies met Ravindra to suggest alternatives to avoid felling trees and demolishing properties for road widening projects.
An environmentalist who attended the meet said, "The advisor has said he will help facilitate a meeting of various environmental forums with the Mayor and the councillors, to ensure the involvement of more people in taking a decision. Some of the environmentalists also held presentations to reason that the road widening was not essential in all the proposed roads.
Vinay from Hasiur Usisru, an environmental group that was not part of the meeting said it is the BBMP council that should hold such meetings and not the advisor. He also said that more than any other person or group, it was necessary for the people affected by these projects to attend the meeting. However, Ashwin Mahesh from Ravindra's office said, "The meeting was not convened by Ravindra, but he was requested to meet with these forums. There is nothing wrong in people meeting him to discuss issues."