Bengaluru: Despite the recent hue and cry over its move to cut down over a 100 trees in Jayamahal to widen a road, the BBMP has brought down two venerable old trees on the Ulsoor lake front on Annaswamy Mudaliar Street to allow immersion of bigger idols during festivals, raising fears that more trees abutting the lake may be marked for slaughter.
The two trees, one close to the Ganesha immersion point, and the other a little further, have not only been axed but also stripped of their bark, leaving just huge creamy white stumps in place of what were once huge shade-giving trees.
Vijay Nishanth of the Vruksha Project who has done a census of the trees at Ulsoor lake believes the BBMP chops down trees at will as it is not held accountable for its actions most times.
"Accountability is the problem. The BBMP has the technology to do a census of all trees in the city and keep track of them. For years we have been asking it to do a complete census, but have received no response. This gives the BBMP a certain amount of freedom to fell trees,” he says, adding that the short staffed BBMP Forest Department cannot always stop illegal felling of trees by others in the city either.
"As a BBMP volunteer I get at least two calls a day from people saying trees are being cut or felled illegally in their localities which I pass on to the BBMP. But there are very few staffers to respond to calls," he regrets. Both Assistant Commissioners of the BBMP Forest department were unavailable for comment.
