Activists question railway tree felling near Kukkarahalli Lake

A day after staging a protest against the felling of trees near Kukkarahalli Lake, members of Parisarakkagi Naavu, an environmental organisation, met Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Mudit Mittal on Thursday and sought details and justification for the removal of trees along the railway tracks adjacent to the lake.

In a representation submitted to the DRM, the organisation said its members had visited the site and found that several mature trees had been cut. The loss of tree cover in the green corridor was a matter of public concern, it said, particularly in the context of climate change and increasing urban heat stress.

While acknowledging the importance of railway safety and uninterrupted train operations, the organisation maintained that vegetation management should be undertaken transparently, based on scientific assessment, and only to the extent necessary.

The group sought copies of all orders, approvals, inspection reports, risk assessments and other records that authorised the tree felling. It also requested details of the officials who inspected the site and recommended the removal of the trees, the technical criteria used to justify felling instead of pruning, and information on permissions obtained from the Forest Department or other competent authorities.

The organisation also sought species-wise details of the trees removed, including their approximate age and girth, as well as information on the compensatory afforestation and restoration measures proposed by the Railways administration.

In its representation, the organisation urged the Railways to adopt and publicly communicate a policy under which tree removal is undertaken only when no reasonable alternative exists, and pruning is preferred wherever feasible. It also called for all pruning and tree management operations to be carried out by trained personnel under the supervision of qualified officers, and for healthy trees outside the minimum safety clearance zone to be preserved.

Stating that Mysuru residents have long valued the tree cover around Kukkarahalli Lake and its surroundings, the organisation said railway safety and environmental conservation could be achieved simultaneously through careful planning, professional supervision, and adherence to best practices in tree management. It urged the office of the DRM, Mysuru, to place all relevant records in the public domain and review the actions taken.