Environmentalists in the city are getting ready to seek legal action after a public hearing on tree-felling, to pave way for a four-lane road, was held on Wednesday.
R. Chandraprakash of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) said there was not a single voice in favour of cutting down trees, with all the 300 people present at the hearing opposing it. “While the Forest Department report on the outcome of the public hearing is awaited, we are already consulting with our legal team to prepare the next course of action,” said Mr. Chandraprakash. The public hearing was held to collect opinion on chopping down 48 trees marked for the purpose.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chandraprakash and other environmentalists are citing an assurance by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to the president of a local residents’ association earlier this year against tree-felling. The letter, dated January 15, 2016, categorically stated that there would be no more cutting of trees and destroying the ambience and environment.
The letter went on to state that after the completion of the Outer Ring Road by the Mysore Urban Development Authority, that stretch would be notified as the new NH-212. The Chief Engineer of National Highways had also aired similar views in a letter dated January 8, 2016. It stated that once the ORR was completed, NH 212 would be linked to it. This meant that the original alignment in which 5 km of the highway passed through the city — a fact that has entailed the tree-felling — would be disbanded. The letter also stated that four laning would not be taken up on this stretch.
The environmentalists also expressed anger at the fact that notification on the public hearing was published in a local paper only 24 hours in advance.
