<p class="title rtejustify">Authorities have marked 144 full-grown trees — ostensibly to pave the way for the controversial steel flyover project between Basaveshwara Circle and Mehkri Circle in the heart of Bengaluru. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The sudden move drew universal opposition from conservationists and environmentalists. “It’s illegal to touch or mark a tree without obtaining legal clearance. There are several court orders to this effect. The state government’s decision to go ahead with the marking is tantamount to a violation of such rules,” said Leo Saldanha, of Environment Support Group. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Ecologist A N Yellappa Reddy said he had written to the chief minister about the ill effects of the project. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Citizens for Bengaluru, an NGO, has launched a postcard campaign against the marking of the trees. More than 5,000 postcards have been sent to the chief minister. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Curiously, workers marking the trees were clueless about what will be done to them: whether they will be cut down or translocated elsewhere.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"> “Higher officials will take a call on that once the environmental impact assessment report arrives,” said a senior official in the Karnataka Road Development Limited (KRDL), which has been picked to execute the project. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Vijay Nishanth, a tree expert, warned that the project would uproot more than 2,000 trees.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“Old trees will not survive if they are translocated elsewhere,” he said. </p>
<p class="title rtejustify">Authorities have marked 144 full-grown trees — ostensibly to pave the way for the controversial steel flyover project between Basaveshwara Circle and Mehkri Circle in the heart of Bengaluru. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">The sudden move drew universal opposition from conservationists and environmentalists. “It’s illegal to touch or mark a tree without obtaining legal clearance. There are several court orders to this effect. The state government’s decision to go ahead with the marking is tantamount to a violation of such rules,” said Leo Saldanha, of Environment Support Group. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Ecologist A N Yellappa Reddy said he had written to the chief minister about the ill effects of the project. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Citizens for Bengaluru, an NGO, has launched a postcard campaign against the marking of the trees. More than 5,000 postcards have been sent to the chief minister. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Curiously, workers marking the trees were clueless about what will be done to them: whether they will be cut down or translocated elsewhere.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify"> “Higher officials will take a call on that once the environmental impact assessment report arrives,” said a senior official in the Karnataka Road Development Limited (KRDL), which has been picked to execute the project. </p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Vijay Nishanth, a tree expert, warned that the project would uproot more than 2,000 trees.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“Old trees will not survive if they are translocated elsewhere,” he said. </p>