(IN): After hacking the Dogs Bangalore axes the Trees

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Bangalore trees get the axe Deepa Balakrishnan

CNN-IBN*

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*Bangalore: *Large gulmohur trees which were once the Garden City's pride,

are now a threat.

 

The Brihan Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has now decided to prune and even cut

down trees that pose a threat to traffic.

 

" It's identified trees that are dangerous and branches that are dried. Where

there is a traffic problem, they are being removed. Some specific species

are dangerous during the rainy season, " said Bangalore Mahanagara Palike DCF

Krishna D Udapudi.

 

While 1500 trees have gone under the corporation's axe in the past one year,

the last two months alone have seen 221 trees and 500-plus branches of other

trees being chopped.

 

But it was a large tree near Cubbon Park that fell on an autorickshaw and

killed one person on Sunday that has now scared the corporation officials

into intensifying their drive.

 

Trees that define the existence of Bangalore as Garden City have now become

dangerous to its people.

 

While bringing down deadwood is all well, environmentalists ask whether it

is being done scientifically.

 

" When we prune, we must prune all round and surgically treat them.

Otherwise, the tree becomes one-sided and becomes one-side heavy. In the

last three-four days, winds are blowing at 90 kilometres per hour, " said

environmentalist S G Neginhal.

 

But the corporation officials disagree. " It's not that imbalance is created.

We want to balance trees that are imbalanced, " said Udapudi.

 

The argument notwithstanding, the streets of Bangalore could soon lose the

cool shade of the giants.