Bengaluru: Who chopped trees in Chikkasandra?

Bengaluru: Even as the city protests its loss of green cover and raises a hue and cry every time the government threatens to remove trees for its various projects,  11 trees were axed on Hessaraghatta Main Road, near Chikkasandra on Tuesday by some unidentified men in what has reportedly become a growing trend in the area.

According to the locals it started at around 10 am and within no time the men had brought down  the trees. "I asked them who had authorised them to chop them but they didn't reply and left after doing their job," said a local resident.

Of the trees axed most were silver trees and a couple were  mango trees, according to him."They were fully grown trees and were not coming in the way of anyone. It was at first rumored that they were being axed for the sake of electric wires but then only branches are cut in  such cases. We are not sure who is responsible although we  tried to contact local civic agencies. No one gave us a clear answer," he explained.

The locals claim trees are regularly brought down on

Hesaraghatta Main Road. "Over the last two or three months at least a 100 trees have been brought down by house owners, educational institutes and others in this area while the forest cell of the BBMP looks on mutely," regretted Mr. Lakshmitanaya, a resident.