Red flags in green losses

Road-widening and infrastructure projects have resulted in the axing of thousands of trees in Bengaluru. The rules call for tree planting elsewhere. Is compensatory afforestation making up for lost trees?

In recent years, Bengaluru has lost tens of thousands of trees to rising urbanisation and public infrastructure projects. Scientific studies show how badly this has affected the city. 

The Tree Act and the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980, require compensatory afforestation when trees are removed, but the effectiveness of this rule is under question. 

According to Harini Nagendra and her team at Azim Premji University, no sapling — whether planted at the original site or elsewhere — can replicate the multiple ecosystem services of full-grown trees. 

Retired forest officer B K Singh believes the compensatory afforestation rule under the FCA has failed to protect the rich evergreen forests. “How can planting trees in other places compensate for the damage caused to an evergreen environment? We need to re-look into the rules and change them to suit reality,” he adds. 

In an article on the subject, Satyajit Sarna, an advocate from New Delhi, makes the following observations:

• The attractiveness of compensatory afforestation is that it turns environmental degradation into a commodity, and any commodity has a price. The existence of a price tag makes it almost certain that approvals for forest clearance will be given.

• Compensatory afforestation is, at best, a partial solution to be used where contextually appropriate and when carefully regulated and monitored. 

Even though urban and forest ecosystems face different challenges, compensatory plantation or afforestation is proving to be a sub-optimal mitigation measure. The situation in Bengaluru and its surroundings must be seen in this larger context. 

The number of saplings planted as a compensatory measure seems reasonably satisfactory in Bengaluru. However, there are concerns about receptor sites, transparency and accountability.

History of afforestation

Namma Metro has been one of the most important projects in Bengaluru in recent decades. 

A report titled ‘Role of BMRCL in environmental management’ uploaded to Namma Metro’s website states that Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) planted 56,504 saplings between 2009 and 2021, mainly around lakes, railway land, BSF premises, MEG Centre, ASC Centre, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, etc. 

In May 2017, this author filed an RTI application, seeking information on the survival of transplanted trees as well as saplings planted through compensatory plantation. However, no information was provided. The BMRCL did not upload any information about tree survival either. Thus, even though a large number of saplings were planted, it is unclear how many of them survived. 

Legal fights 

In its PIL petition, Bangalore Environment Trust (BET) urged the High Court of Karnataka to formalise and streamline the entire process of compensatory plantation. Here are some of the important legal provisions/high court orders: 

Under Section 8(5) of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, the BBMP Tree Officer may permit tree felling on the condition that trees of the same or suitable species be planted on the same site or another appropriate place.

For every transplanted or felled tree, ten saplings must be planted.

In an order dated March 25, 2021, the high court ruled that the removal of trees by felling or translocation can occur only upon the submission of a plan for compensatory plantation to the BBMP Tree Officer.

In an order dated June 29, 2021, the court directed the BMRCL to submit quarterly reports regarding the maintenance and protection of the translocated trees. And the Tree Officer shall later visit the locations of translocated trees for necessary verification. Within 15 days of receiving each quarterly report, he shall submit a report to the court.

In another order dated July 15, 2021, the court stated that a plan for compensatory afforestation has to include a “break-up of number of trees of each species.” It added that the Tree Officer is obligated to apply his mind to ascertain the suitability of the site of compensatory plantation for the growth of particular trees. 

In one more order dated July 29, 2021, the court specified that compensatory plantation can be undertaken only after submitting a soil testing report to the Tree Officer. Further, such a soil testing report should ascertain the viability of the proposed compensatory plantation of each tree.  In compliance with multiple orders of the high court, quarterly progress reports on the translocated trees and compensatory plantation have to be filed before the court.

Status since 2021

Compensatory plantation has gained momentum in the last three years, led by Namma Metro and the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).

Namma Metro

Based on the orders issued by the high court up to June 12, 2024, the BMRCL was required to plant 68,650 saplings. However, as of July 8, 2024, only 31,220 saplings were planted, while the remaining 37,430 are pending. This plantation has been carried out at the following locations: CMP (Training) Centre, Iblur; CMP (Training) Centre, Neelasandra; Kadugodi metro depot. The survival rate in many cases has been almost 100%, and photographic evidence has been provided to the court. Care has been taken in species selection as well.

BSRP/railway doubling project

Railway Infrastructure Development Company Karnataka (K-RIDE) is required to plant 41,640 saplings. As of September 23, 2024, it has planted 33,760 saplings while 7,880 are pending. Locations for this plantation include GKVK, Yelahanka; Peenya Industrial Area, NICE Road, CRPF campus and on roadsides. 

As many as 1,10,290 saplings are supposed to be planted for both Namma Metro and the BSRP. This figure may look impressive but many issues must be addressed. 

Delay in plantation: In Namma Metro’s case, the high court stipulated a period during which the entire plantation was to be completed. However, there has been considerable delay. 

Progress report: The BMRCL is expected to submit a quarterly progress report. There is a delay here, too. As of September 29, 2024, quarterly reports have been submitted only up to September 2023. At least three quarterly reports are pending. 

Critical issues in compensatory plantation 

Location: The Tree Act specifies that compensatory plantation should happen on the same site where trees have been removed. However, it also says this can be done at a suitable place.

The wording “suitable place” has been helpful to the authorities concerned. A tiny compensatory plantation is happening near the same site. 

At a public consultation meeting held by K-RIDE in June 2024, citizens expressed dissatisfaction. Sreenivas Rao, a resident of Thanisandra, said: “Instead of looking for land space for afforestation in far-off places, government agencies should look for empty land spaces at the ward level. Each ward should have biodiversity hotspots. What is the point of cutting trees in city areas and planting elsewhere?” 

Authorities, including the BMRCL and the BBMP, argue that it is difficult to find proper space within the city for compensatory plantations. Environmentalists, however, do not fully agree with this contention. 

A N Yellappa Reddy, former chairman of Bangalore Environment Trust, has stressed the need to take up afforestation on lands cleared from encroachers by the Bengaluru Urban district administration. 

The scarcity of suitable space within the city is seen (by some experts) as a result of mindless concretisation in recent years. While everyone is in favour of roadside or pavement plantation, that’s not possible unless the tiles or the concrete slabs are broken. While the BBMP’s Forest Cell may be inclined to plant along roads, there is resistance from the civic body’s road infrastructure or project divisions, and the issue remains unresolved. 

Accountability over survival: There are some differences of opinion on whether agencies such as BMRCL/K-RIDE should do compensatory plantation or it should be done by the Forest Department or the BBMP’s Forest Cell.

The BMRCL has opted to do its plantation through contractors.

However, K-RIDE Managing Director Manjula revealed during the public consultation that it had paid the BBMP and the Forest Department for taking up compensatory afforestation. Responding to citizens’ request that K-RIDE itself do the plantation, she said that after taking up the issue with higher-ups, K-RIDE would explore the feasibility of involving itself in afforestation works. 

Transparency and citizen involvement: Due to high court orders, there is a reasonable degree of transparency about compensatory plantations done by various agencies.

However, citizens do not have free access to army lands, BSF premises, railway land, etc, where a lot of plantation has been carried out. This rules out citizens’ role in monitoring survival or growth, and a very important programme such as a plantation becomes purely a government-driven exercise. 

(The writer is a founder-member of Bangalore Environment Trust)