Railways asked to justify need to axe 84 heritage trees
The site is located in an urban zone, which already faces vehicular traffic and environmental sensitivity
– BMC report
In a report filed with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru's Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) has asked the Railway authorities to justify the proposal to cut 84 out of the 368 trees at the Bangalore Cantonment Railway Colony campus. These 84 trees have been classified as 'heritage' trees bymembers based on frameworks established by the National Biodiversity Authority, the Wildlife Protection Act, and the Convention on Biological Diversity.The 84 trees in question include 2 Banyan trees, 5 Peepal, 4 Fig, 1 Sampige, 7 Honge, 11 Jackfruit, 2 Jamun, 1 Kadamba, 5 Almond, 39 Mango, 2 Neem, 1 Amla, 1 Sandalwood, 2 Tamarind, and 1 Teak tree. 'The railway authorities have been asked to justify the felling of 84 out of the 368 trees, including Indian Sandalwood, a species listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),' stated the BMC report. This report was filed after a spot inspection conducted on May 7, followingz public outcry over a notice regarding the removal of 368 trees for a commercial development project.The BMC conducted the inspection to evaluate the environmental impact of the proposed tree removal on biodiversity and the disruptions to local flora and fauna. During the inspection, BMC noted that the railway authorities had numbered the trees from 1 to 368, encompassing 44 species. Among these, 8 trees had dried, and 181 trees were invasive species, particularly paper mulberry. Out of the remaining 179 trees, around 84 were identified as heritage, native, or vulnerable.BMC highlighted that the site is located in an urban zone, which already faces significant vehicular traffic and environmental sensitivity due to limited green cover. The proposed construction would require the removal or translocation of several trees within or adjacent to the station premises, in residential areas like Jayamahal, Vasanth Nagar, Nandi Durga Road, Benson Town, and Queens Road. Additionally, the area is near heritage sites such as St. John's Cemetery and sensitive zones including Jain Hospital, CSI Hospital, an old age home, and schools and colleges. 'The process of tree removal or translocation must be approached with scientific scrutiny and compliance with regulatory frameworks, including those outlined by the Karnataka Forest Department and the Tree Preservation Act of 1976,' BMC emphasised.The committee has also stated that if the felling of trees is deemed necessary, the project proponent should submit an undertaking confirming that tree removal is a last resort. This should be done in consultation with the Karnataka Forest Department and following the Karnataka Tree (Preservation) Act. Furthermore, the project proponent must implement measures for conservation, compensation, and translocation of heritage trees to ensure an 85% survival rate and submit the adopted methodology to the BMC.'BBMP will be holding a public consultation regarding the project on May 20.'
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