Tree-felling by CNNL leaves birds homeless in K.R. Pet

Intention was not to kill birds, hence we did not fully cut trees: Official

Children taking some young birds to their residences to nurture.

Nearly 350 birds of various species, mainly Cormorants, were rendered homeless at K.R. Pet town on Saturday after workers engaged by Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (CNNL) cut branches of a few trees on its premises.

Several dozen fledglings fell off branches, while some died after branches fell on them. Children took some young birds to their homes to nurture.

According to eyewitnesses, there were heartrending scenes, with hundreds of adult birds trying to help the struggling fledglings on the ground.

CNNL employees and workers were requested to stop the cutting of branches, or at least spare the branches on which the birds nested. But the pleas were ignored, Neelakanta, a social worker, told

The Hindu .

Called off

The operation was called off only after children, who were accompanied by the local residents, started crying seeing the hapless fledglings struggling to fly, he said.

On learning about it, a team of officials from the local range forest office rushed to the spot. Expressing their unhappiness, they promised action against the CNNL.

The young birds that fell from the trees will be shifted to Mysuru zoo or any shelters of the department, the officials said.

“Our intention was not to kill birds and hence we did not fully cut the trees. We just cropped the branches,” Narayan, assistant executive engineer, CNNL (No. 3, K.R. Pet), told presspersons. He said pruning was “immediately stopped” after noticing the fledglings fall from branches.