Translocation of colony trees draws controversy

The Hindu

28-06-2025

Removal of trees from the margins of a colony road in the city has become controversial, when Forest Department officials issued permission for translocation of the trees from a different address than given in the application.
According to the details available, all residents except one, along Road No. 4, Anand Nagar Colony, Bandlaguda of Nagole, decided to do away with the trees on the road margins, as the colony road had become narrow, denying manoeuvrability for four-wheelers.
They felled a couple of trees a year ago, which was reported to Forest officials, who inspected the site and penalised the offenders.
After learning the proper procedure from the foresters, a resident, K. Suresh Babu, later approached the Forest Department seeking permission to fell the remaining six trees — Jamun, Guava, Tella Maddi, two Seetaphal, and a Moduga, giving his address as the location.
The resident approached the Urban Biodiversity wing of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) too, for a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC).
This was the twist. The applicant had no trees lining his house. The pictures of the trees lining the opposite house were given with the geo-coordinates of Mr. Suresh Babu's house, as alleged by the owner of the opposite house, Rahul Rachakonda.
'I wanted to retain the trees, because they once protected us from an uprooted electrical pole. I fought tooth and nail for them. I made 15 representations to the Forest department and GHMC not to allow felling of the trees, but to no avail,' Mr. Rachakonda said.
On Saturday, the trees except Tella Maddi were uprooted by labourers in an unscientific manner, and carried away.
Interestingly, the NOC from the Urban Biodiversity wing of Hayatnagar circle says that the trees at the applicant's address 'may be translocated by the owner of the tree in his own premises'.
As it transpired, neither Mr. Suresh Babu nor Mr. Rachakonda was the 'owner' of the trees, nor were the trees at the given address, nor have they been translocated inside the owner's premises.
'They tried to convince me to allow the trees to be translocated into my premises as mandated in the permission, but I put my foot down and said they should be retained where they were,' Mr. Rachakonda said.
Upon seeking clarification, FRO, Uppal, K. Sharat Chandra Reddy said that majority of the residents wanted the trees to go as the road was narrow, and hence permission was given.
He said the trees were translocated to the road margins at a different location. However, the Forest permission says that they should be moved to 'Residential' premises at the given address only.
The road width was shown as 25 feet in the colony layout, but only about 18 feet remains after the residents, including the applicant, built ramps extending onto the road.
'This is the most bizarre way to get rid of trees. Some person applies for permissions to remove trees from another person's home!!! and all concerned departments will see the other way till the trees are removed [sic]' read a post by Vata Foundation, which brought the incident to light.