Tree felling in Mysuru: inquiry clears officials of wrongdoing
An official inquiry ordered by the Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre into the felling of 40 trees on the Hyder Ali Road in Mysuru, has cleared the officials of any wrongdoing.
A copy of the report, submitted on May 14, 2025, and accessed by The Hindu, states that 'in summary, for the purpose of widening Hyder Ali Road in Mysuru from Kaalikamba Temple to SP Office Circle over a length of 360 meters and width of 30 meters, permission was granted under Section 8(3) of the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976, for felling 40 government trees (38 Peltophorum pterocarpum, one Samanea saman, and one Vachellia nilotica). This action by the Forest Department does not violate any regulations', says the report in conclusion.
A perusal of the report indicates that the focus of the inquiry was whether the officials adhered to the legal requirements to be complied with, while according permission for tree-felling and whether the user agency, in this case the Mysuru City Corporation, met all provisions under the law, including making the requisite payment.
Sources said that the inquiry did not address the issue raised by the Minister whether tree-felling was warranted and whether the road widening was required at all.
The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning and Recruitment), Bengaluru, visited Mysuru on April 22, 2025, to conduct an on-site investigation and review after consulting the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Territorial Division.
The permission for tree-felling was sought on June 15, 2024, and the local officials, including the range forest officer, conducted a mahazar, marked the tree identified for felling on both sides of the road, and submitted the report to Deputy Conservator of Forests on July 22, 2024.
The species include 38 Peltophorum pterocarpum, one Samanea saman (Rain Tree), and one Vachellia nilotica (Gobli Tree) and on January 15, 2025, the Assistant Conservator of Forests submitted a valuation report. A demand notice was issued seeking a payment of ₹7,76,223 to the government, on payment of which permission to fell the trees were issued, as per the report.
But the moot point raised by environmentalists, whether the traffic density merited road-widening, exploring other options like declaring the stretch as a one-way, etc. was not inquired into.
Each of the tree was over 40 years old and their role in carbon sequestration was immense. Though the Forest Department has claimed that 10 saplings will be planted for every tree felled to compensate, their survival rates are questionable, according to activists.
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