Speaking at a World Environment Day event, he said: “There is obviously a need to widen the road to accommodate the increasing traffic. If people want the road to be widened and also the trees to remain, then it is like saying you want to have the cake and eat it too.”
Acharya said the trees existed because of the road and not the other way around and people should not oppose the cutting of trees. “We can plant more saplings later. The road widening should go on,” he said.
The Minister, however, cautioned people not to destroy the environment and to protect the resources. “Modernisation, greed and commerce have led to the destruction of the environment. There should be sustainable development,” the Minister said.
State Human Rights Commission Chairman S R Nayak said some people had taken to destroying the environment and they should be brought to book.
Environmentalist Yellappa Reddy said a report by the National Dairy Research Institute had showed alarming levels of lead and cadmium in milk, grass and soil.
“The level of lead in greens is 300 times more than the permissible level,” he said.
Reddy referred to reports which said contamination with heavy metals and chemicals had led to an increase in the prevalence of non-infectious diseases among the people.
HC extends status quo
With BBMP seeking more time to file objections to the public interest litigation (PIL) against the felling of trees on Sankey Road, the High Court has extended the status quo order for a week.
Hearing the PIL by Meenakshi Bharath, Rajan Balasubramanya, H A Anil Kumar, Shivadarshan Balse, A Ashok, all residents of Malleswaram and members of Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice H G Ramesh directed not to fell any more trees after the counsel for BBMP requested more time.Counsel for the petitioners, Ravi Varma Kumar, said there was no publication of notice, inviting objections, on road widening. “Even the High Court orders have been violated and the proposal to widen the road is irrational, and unscientific,” he submitted. The hearing was posted to July 12.