Not because of lack of people, but due to the disappearance of the green canopy that was chopped by the BBMP for its ambitious Sankey road widening project.
Despite public anger and disgust over the BBMP action to fell the trees, the footpaths along Sankey Road beside the tank was covered by the hacked down limbs and leaves of the hundred-year-old trees.
Residents were in for a rude shock on Friday morning when piles of branches covered the sidewalk of the bund road. No amount of protest or agitation, through the day, could stop a stubborn Palike from carrying out its action.
Speaking on the ecological imbalance that would result from the tree felling, environmentalist Suresh Heblikar said the primary water source of the man-made Sankey Tank are the trees. “Now, with these huge ficus trees being chopped off, we could be staring at a potential ecological disaster,” he said.
Heblikar was critical of the Palike’s unilateral decision to fell the trees without heeding to the public voice. “We asked the Deputy Mayor to heed to our suggestions. We asked him to wait till the CNR Rao underpass was completed to gauge the traffic movement. But to no avail,” he lamented.
On Friday evening, 52 residents from in and around Malleswaram could only stare as the trees were cut mercilessly, as a part of history and heritage of Sankey Road was being erased.
Anagha could not hold back her tears as she screamed at the workers cutting down the trees. She told Deccan Herald: “Just a week back, me and my friend came down here to measure the trees and do mapping of the area. It was beautiful. And now they are no more.”
The people who gathered to protest against the felling did so silently, each holding branches from the felled trees. By 6 pm, more than 60 policemen and women were assigned to watch the peaceful demonstration.
“We feel honoured by their support. They follow us up and down the road, wherever we go,” said Aarushi Poddar, a resident of Sadashivnagar.
Earlier in the afternoon, the atmosphere was not so relaxed between both the parties. More than 150 students from the nearby Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College cut classes to protest against the felling. Neha R, a second year PUC student said, “We saw this horrible act taking place, so we collectively decided to show our support.”
As the 11 protestors who were arrested for obstructing government work were released by 6 pm, allegedly on condition that they would not rejoin the demonstration, the news of High Court stay order reached the residents by 5.30 pm. Scenes of frustration were seen with the trees still being chopped. However, the police did not bother to react and said that they had no authority to intervene till they received a copy of the court order.
Yet another resident of the area, Kiran told this paper: “The order comes so late in the day when there is only one tree left. Will the stay order get the other trees back?”