Amid opposition by environmentalists to axe 99 trees in Mangaluru for the proposed Nanthoor Junction underpass between Nanthoor and Pumpwell on National Highway 66, the Tree Officer promised that the Forest Department will plant saplings not just 10 times, but up to 50 times in lieu of the felled trees.
“Though the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed to cut 99 trees for the continued stretch of the underpass, the department will ensure saving as many trees as possible, including translocation,” Tree Officer and Assistant Conservator of Forests Clifford Lobo told a public meeting in Mangaluru on September 2. The trees are located on private lands acquired by the NHAI for the underpass construction, he said.
Suggestions from the public to divert the NH out of the city limits by constructing bypass roads are out of his preview as it falls under the realm of policy matters to be decided by the Central and State Governments. Notwithstanding any hindrances, the Forest Department will make every effort to increase the green cover in Mangaluru city in particular and in the region in general, Mr. Lobo said.
Earlier, Kishore Attavar said that unless compensatory afforestation is done to mitigate the loss due to tree cutting for the highway project, sustainable development cannot be achieved. Jeeth Milan Roche too demanded a sustainable development approach in the matter. Guruchandra Hegde from Kulur blamed the NHAI for all the mess created in and around Mangaluru, including the single-carriageway flyovers while constructing the four-lane Nanthoor-Surathkal stretch of NH 66. Loss of human life on account of faulty highways or inadequate infrastructure cannot be compensated, but loss of trees can be, he argued.
To a clarification sought by advocate Suma Nayak on the underpass plan, an official from NHAI said the main carriageway through the underpass (NH 66) will be 40 metres wide while it will have 8-metre service roads on both the sides for traffic to and from National Highway 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru).The trees sought for felling are located on a 350-metre stretch of acquired land between Nanthoor Junction and Pumpwell, he said.
G.K. Bhat wanted the project to be completed at the earliest as it has been pending for over a decade.
Mangaluru Range Forest Officer Rajesh Baligar, Mangaluru City Corporation Councillors Shylesh Shetty, Kiran Kumar and others were present.