Trees

Amongst the many images and impressions at that I saw and experienced at the "Namma Raste, Namma Ooru" walk on Sunday, 9th November 2008, was the picture of this tiny tot; She didn't seem to be angry, or against anything; she made a peaceful statement that surely none of us can disagree with...and was calmly eating something that a tree gave her, too!Surely, if a little one like her can come out to express her opinion, the rest of us can take heed and protect the trees we have left!Update: What a coincidence! I shared this image with Hasiru Usiru...and…

If Rs.11.2 lakhs is the value of one tree, imagine how much the football-fields worth of trees that are razed to the ground everyday are worth - the mangroves, the forests, and all those that cannot be accounted for.... Oct 18th: A tree-lover seems impervious to the pain inflicted on this notice-bearing tree on Dickenson Road. Pic: Shivani Shah. "People keep talking about opening more wilderness for development. We seem to understand the value of oil, timber, minerals and housing, but not the value of unspoiled beauty, wildlife, solitude, and spiritual renewal. We need to start putting prices on the…

Jayanagar, near the Ashoka Pillar, has an avenue (an avenue, by definition, is a tree-lined street), filled with, among other trees, Sausage Trees .This is the time when the tree bears both flowers and fruits, and incredibly striking they are, too.Here's a flower and a bud:Here are some flowers, hanging down on their stalks:And these are what the fruits look like:The city planners planted such beautiful trees in the past, today's officials are only thinking of cutting them down for "economic growth" and to ensure more vehicles can stuff up the barren, sterile roads without footpaths or trees....Is it any…

With regard to the tree-felling and road-widening that is happening now.....we are against *indiscriminate* use of this facility, that's all. The point is, that cutting down trees is irreversible, so what we are saying is, involve the citizens in this decision-making process, and let us cut down trees ONLY when there is no other solution.The High Court of Karnataka has given a decision that the BBMP authorities must include the citizens' forum, Hasiru Usiru, in its deliberations and only take decisions on tree-felling and road-widening that complies with the Town and Rural Planning Act. Right now, this is not being…

The road widening project started by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) sees yet another development. Two NGOs, the Environment Support Group (ESG), and CIVIC Bangalore have created an online petition to a BBMP committee overseeing tree-cutting decisions on the project. The petition is urging them to involve Bangaloreans in planning and decision making processes, in order to help prioritise safety of cyclists, pedestrians, senior citizens, children, differently abled and so on. The petitioners feel that with intelligent road design it is possible to safeguard lives, livelihoods, homes, heritage and green cover of the city, which is largely provided by…

In response to a public interest litigation, the High Court of Karnataka had directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) three months ago to constitute a special committee to monitor its road widening projects and the Metro works. But, the court's intervention has not impacted the 'free' uprooting of trees.  Trees impacted Kanakapura RoadBellary RoadRace Course RoadPalace RoadSarjapur RoadBBMP note constituting the committee The BBMP constituted the nine-member 'Sustainable Development Empowered Technical Advisory Committee' in July 2008, under the chairmanship of Yellapa Reddy, a retired officer of the Indian Forest Service (IFS. According to the court's order, the committee has…

Surely BBMP, which seems, sometimes, to go out of its way to cut down full-grown trees, can take a leaf out of the book of these people, who own a shop in Vyalikaval. Messrs. P Mohanlal Bhanwarlal, who run a jewellery and pawnbroker's shop near Chowdiah Memorial Hall, decided that, as devout Jains, they could not offer "himsa" to the living tree; therefore, they actually built their shop around it.Doesn't the presence of the tree hinder the customers? "Actually," say the owners, "Our customers are happy to see this, and the way you saw it and came in, it is…

I was walking along the "80 ft Ring Road" (I still don't know the name of this road, that goes from the Silk Board along Ragigudda up to Kanakapura Road!), when I saw how this tree had been revered, and a small shrine built to it: Trees (Pic: Deepa Mohan)It was good to see that some trees are still held in such reverence; but in these days of road-widening and tree-felling, I could not help wishing that the BBMP adopted the same attitude towards the beautiful living beings that give us shade, oxygen, shelter, beauty, and a home to several…

I am a nature lover and it is killing me to see all the tree cover just vanish from Banglore. Have you seen CMH road recently? Why are the trees being chopped left, right and center? Are we even aware of the HUGE price we are paying and for what?I was delighted to read the article on the Committee to review road widening: High Court and I heaved a sigh of relief. But I guess relief on paper is not relief after all!On Sunday (20th July 2008) trees were chopped on Race Course Road. Why??? Is this in consonance with…

As is well known by now, the city's road widening project is also causing a massive cutting down of trees. There is now the risk that it might reduce the greenery of the garden city just to its gardens. A PIL was filed with the High Court by the Environment Support Group (ESG) asking the court, amongst other things, to put a stay the project. As a response to the PIL, the High Court on 28 June appointed a panel of experts to a review committee to oversee developmental projects like the Metro, underpasses, road widening, and so forth. According…