Mysuru: Forest department has identified as many as 22 species of trees among 350 trees proposed to be cleared for a flyover and an underpass on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway-NH 275 and Mysuru Ring road junction by officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

They have identified one each Peepal tree (Arali) with a girth of 0.32 meter, Mahua tree (Ippe-0.60m), Indian Almond tree (Kaadu Badami-0.30m); 48 Indian cork trees (Akasha Mallige-0.73m); 14 wild varieties (0.52m); 10 Muntingia calabura trees (Gasagase-0.55m), 44 Tabebuia rosea tees (0.62m), one Teak tree (Tega-0.48m), 11 Peltophorum trees (2.13m), seven Indian rosewood (Beete-0.89m), 26 Neem trees (Bevu-0.70m), 15 Mahogany trees (0.45m), two Mango trees (0.39m), 27 Rain tees (1.80m), three Gmelina arborea (Shivane-0.35m), five Subabul trees (0.56m), 10 Spethodiya (0.53m), seven Malabar Neem (Hebbevu-1.64m), 93 Indian Beech tree (Honge-0.48m), five Malabar Kino (Honne-0.95m) and three Sandalwood trees.

Translocation

Forest department has received 2300 representations of public objections against clearing these 350 trees and 210 more trees for four other projects. As per the directions of minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B Khandre and MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar officials of Forest department are studying the age and size of these trees. They are assessing which ever can be translocated and which ever can be saved, according to DCF Mysuru Territorial division, K Paramesha.

Also as many as 17629 people have also signed at change.org objecting clearing these trees.

Provide DPR, Limit Ramps length:

Ravi Bale of Parisarakkaagi Naavu said, said, "We want NHAI officials to make the Detailed Project Report of the project accessible to public to study how many of these trees marked to be cleared, can be saved. Flyover and Under Pass at Ring road junction is fine. But they should avoid extension of flyover ramp till Bannimantap road and Siddiqui Nagar on Fountain Circle road so that many trees can be saved."

State General Secretary of Parisarakkaagi Naavu, Parashuramegowda said, "We are not against development or the flyover at Ring road junction. We only want forest department to reassess if they can save any of these trees. We cannot afford to lose the green cover of Mysuru, if the trees are cleared trees unscientifically. We have sought extension of deadline for submitting objections." he said.

Founding working president of Mysore Grahakara Parishat, Bhamy V Shenoy said, "We activists in this era are fighting against climate change not against development though often it looks like that. We support projects which are socially beneficial and environmentally friendly carried out after careful studies to ensure minimum or no impact on the environment. We wish to know if NHAI considered other alternatives to eliminate or reduce felling of trees before arriving at these projects to streamline traffic."