Please Wait....

To Deputy conservator of forests

Petition Started by Sandhya Balasubramanian


Update as on 3rd Nov 2021

DCF Bangalore Urban has recently come out with yet another public notice for the proposed felling of 236 trees for the construction of the Metro at Dooravani Nagar and Kempapura Cross. This is for Phase 2B, Package 1. There are now  a total of 9 public notices for the proposed tree-felling on the Namma Metro Airport Line with a whopping total of 4774 trees proposed to be felled. 

And we still don’t know if this is the final number on the proposed trees to be felled.

Citizens have been repeatedly requesting and writing to BMRCL and the Forest Department (both BBMP and Bangalore Urban), asking for a single consolidated view of the trees to be felled as there are currently far too many public notices to keep track of and interpret. Meaningful objections and comments can only be sent if one has a holistic understanding of the project and its parts. 

In view of this state of utter confusion due to lack of cohesion, our demands remain that the DCF, BBMP and DCF, Bangalore Urban jointly, with BMRCL: 

  • Provide a consolidated view of the proposed tree-felling for Phase 2A and 2B of the BMRCL Metro Airport Line
  • Organize a public consultation wherein all citizens' queries and questions with respect to the notices will be answered and
  • Arrange for a walkthrough of the entire alignment of Metro Airport Line (Phase 2 A and Phase 2B) where they can explain the details of the trees to be felled.
The last date to submit the objections is 10th November 2021.  
Update as on 4th Aug 2021

There are now 8 public notices in all for the proposed tree felling on the Namma Metro Airport Line with total 4538 trees proposed to be felled. That is more than half the trees in Cubbon Park.
*Please note that some of the notices are in duplicate and hence the total trees to be felled has been calculated without duplication.
We would like to believe that the above notices have been issued for the benefit of the citizens; for us to be aware, to understand in detail the impact of the project on the trees and to write in with meaningful objections or comments. However, for the last 3 months, we have been struggling to track the issue of notices, review the information available in bits and pieces and comprehend the same. The notices have been split into multiple packages, issued and re-issued randomly with no context or explanation as to what has changed from the last notice.  


Update: 27th July 2021

The notices just don’t stop coming. Subsequent to our update on 16th July 2021,  there are two more Public notices. The current count of notices on this Metro line to the Airport stands at 6. While this still doesn’t cover the entire stretch and is not the final count of the trees to be felled, there are other surprises in store.

Public Notice no. 5: Issued on 13 July 2021. This is a single notice for Phase 2A from Central Silk Board to KR Puram for 256 trees issued by Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bangalore Urban. This is over and above the 833 trees for Package 1 and 1026 trees for Package 2.

To understand why this notice has been issued, it is important for us to explain that the trees in Bangalore have 2 sets of Tree Officers. The trees on the avenues/roads and parks are under the purview of the DCF in BBMP. However, any other tree outside of this (private/government lands etc.) are under the purview of DCF, Bangalore Urban which is under the Forest Department. The new notice has hence been issued by the actual custodian for the trees in the station areas only that fall under either private lands or government lands i.e the DCF, Bangalore urban.

Public Notice no. 6: Issued on 21st July 2021. This is the repeat of the Public Notice for Phase 2 A, Package 2 between Kodibeesanahalli to KR Puram for 1026 trees. The notice does not provide any details about why it has been re-issued and what information has changed. As of now no other details are available in public domain.

We find that the authorities wo are responsible for the city’s trees have scant regard for a real public consultation process. They are merely posting notices based on the information pushed out by the project proponent - BMRCL. Hence, our demand to the DCF, Bangalore Urban remains the same.

  1. Issue a public notice for tree cutting of the entire airport line and not sub-packages.

  2. Provide 30 days timeline for submission of objections on the Bangalore Metro Phase 2 A and 2 B Projects after issuing a single public notice with details of all the trees for the whole Namma Bangalore Metro Airport Line 

  3. Meanwhile do not approve cutting of these 3366 trees for Bangalore Metro Phase 2 A and 2 B Projects

  4. Provide citizens with details on actions taken on the objections sent so far. 


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Update: 16th July 2021 


On 2nd July, Jhatkaa submitted a letter with your signatures to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP reemphasizing the need for complete information on the trees being felled from the Silk Board Junction to  BIAL for the Metro Airport Line as well as 30 days for citizens to send in their objections.


Post that there have been two additional public notices from the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP for the same line on 9th July and 10th July.  

  • The Public notice (addendum) of 9th July provided an extension to submit the objections for Package 1 - Phase 2B, Kasturi Nagar (KR Puram), to Kempapura (Hebbal). The new deadline for submission of objections is now 18th July 2021. 

  • The Public notice (Fresh) of Saturday 10th July 2021, was issued for Packages 2 and 3 - Phase 2B inviting meaningful objections from the citizens. The deadline for this is 20th July 2021. 



And this still does not complete the entire Airport stretch. 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangalore is losing trees. Again.


This time from Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport for a metro rail project. The project estimates that 3366 trees will be felled (based on current public notices), total number may be close to 5500 trees.

The Phase 2 A, package 1 stretch from Silk Board to Ibbalur has beautiful trees like Akash Mallige, Hunge, Gulmohar, Tabebuia Rosea, Raintrees, Ashoka, Mahagony, Banyan, Cluster Fig with large canopies, all marked to be felled. 

Namma Metro has split the project into Phase 2 A and 2 B. However, within these Phases, the project is further split into package 1 and package 2. Such fragmentation of projects does not provide citizens with a holistic view of what the project impacts are. 

One of the important issues to understand is systemic confusion government bodies are creating with multiple notices by dividing the project and asking for objections on parts of the project rather than indicating total numbers of trees to be felled for the project. 

Timeline

  1. 30 April: Public notice to the removal of trees in Kodibeesanahalli to Bypanahalli line, also known as ORR Line Phase 2 A - package 2. - Numbers of Trees to be cut -1026

  2. 3000+ citizens send objections to DCF to extend the deadline. 

  3. The deadline is extended until 30 June for the cutting of 1026 trees. 

  4. On 23 June, again objections were invited for cutting 833 and 1507 trees for Package 1 of 2A and Package 1 of 2 B. 


Experts feel the estimated tree cover lost could be more. 

STRR, PRR, KRDCL, HAL underpass, BMRCL -- We now have so many terms that we associate with tree felling projects! These are mega infrastructure projects that are shaving the city from all sides leading to complete loss of beautiful green canopies that once covered our city. 

In a city that cares for its ecology and environment, tree cutting should be the exception. But unfortunately, no large infrastructure project has ever been denied tree felling permissions in Bangalore city. 

Please sign this petition and send a letter to the Deputy conservator of Forests to save these beautiful trees from being massacred on the Central Silk Board to KIAL line.

We have until July 4th to submit our objections. Sign and email now!

To Deputy conservator of forests

Petition Started by Sandhya Balasubramanian


Update as on 3rd Nov 2021

DCF Bangalore Urban has recently come out with yet another public notice for the proposed felling of 236 trees for the construction of the Metro at Dooravani Nagar and Kempapura Cross. This is for Phase 2B, Package 1. There are now  a total of 9 public notices for the proposed tree-felling on the Namma Metro Airport Line with a whopping total of 4774 trees proposed to be felled. 

And we still don’t know if this is the final number on the proposed trees to be felled.

Citizens have been repeatedly requesting and writing to BMRCL and the Forest Department (both BBMP and Bangalore Urban), asking for a single consolidated view of the trees to be felled as there are currently far too many public notices to keep track of and interpret. Meaningful objections and comments can only be sent if one has a holistic understanding of the project and its parts. 

In view of this state of utter confusion due to lack of cohesion, our demands remain that the DCF, BBMP and DCF, Bangalore Urban jointly, with BMRCL: 

  • Provide a consolidated view of the proposed tree-felling for Phase 2A and 2B of the BMRCL Metro Airport Line
  • Organize a public consultation wherein all citizens' queries and questions with respect to the notices will be answered and
  • Arrange for a walkthrough of the entire alignment of Metro Airport Line (Phase 2 A and Phase 2B) where they can explain the details of the trees to be felled.
The last date to submit the objections is 10th November 2021.  
Update as on 4th Aug 2021

There are now 8 public notices in all for the proposed tree felling on the Namma Metro Airport Line with total 4538 trees proposed to be felled. That is more than half the trees in Cubbon Park.
*Please note that some of the notices are in duplicate and hence the total trees to be felled has been calculated without duplication.
We would like to believe that the above notices have been issued for the benefit of the citizens; for us to be aware, to understand in detail the impact of the project on the trees and to write in with meaningful objections or comments. However, for the last 3 months, we have been struggling to track the issue of notices, review the information available in bits and pieces and comprehend the same. The notices have been split into multiple packages, issued and re-issued randomly with no context or explanation as to what has changed from the last notice.  


Update: 27th July 2021

The notices just don’t stop coming. Subsequent to our update on 16th July 2021,  there are two more Public notices. The current count of notices on this Metro line to the Airport stands at 6. While this still doesn’t cover the entire stretch and is not the final count of the trees to be felled, there are other surprises in store.

Public Notice no. 5: Issued on 13 July 2021. This is a single notice for Phase 2A from Central Silk Board to KR Puram for 256 trees issued by Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bangalore Urban. This is over and above the 833 trees for Package 1 and 1026 trees for Package 2.

To understand why this notice has been issued, it is important for us to explain that the trees in Bangalore have 2 sets of Tree Officers. The trees on the avenues/roads and parks are under the purview of the DCF in BBMP. However, any other tree outside of this (private/government lands etc.) are under the purview of DCF, Bangalore Urban which is under the Forest Department. The new notice has hence been issued by the actual custodian for the trees in the station areas only that fall under either private lands or government lands i.e the DCF, Bangalore urban.

Public Notice no. 6: Issued on 21st July 2021. This is the repeat of the Public Notice for Phase 2 A, Package 2 between Kodibeesanahalli to KR Puram for 1026 trees. The notice does not provide any details about why it has been re-issued and what information has changed. As of now no other details are available in public domain.

We find that the authorities wo are responsible for the city’s trees have scant regard for a real public consultation process. They are merely posting notices based on the information pushed out by the project proponent - BMRCL. Hence, our demand to the DCF, Bangalore Urban remains the same.

  1. Issue a public notice for tree cutting of the entire airport line and not sub-packages.

  2. Provide 30 days timeline for submission of objections on the Bangalore Metro Phase 2 A and 2 B Projects after issuing a single public notice with details of all the trees for the whole Namma Bangalore Metro Airport Line 

  3. Meanwhile do not approve cutting of these 3366 trees for Bangalore Metro Phase 2 A and 2 B Projects

  4. Provide citizens with details on actions taken on the objections sent so far. 


---------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: 16th July 2021 


On 2nd July, Jhatkaa submitted a letter with your signatures to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP reemphasizing the need for complete information on the trees being felled from the Silk Board Junction to  BIAL for the Metro Airport Line as well as 30 days for citizens to send in their objections.


Post that there have been two additional public notices from the Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP for the same line on 9th July and 10th July.  

  • The Public notice (addendum) of 9th July provided an extension to submit the objections for Package 1 - Phase 2B, Kasturi Nagar (KR Puram), to Kempapura (Hebbal). The new deadline for submission of objections is now 18th July 2021. 

  • The Public notice (Fresh) of Saturday 10th July 2021, was issued for Packages 2 and 3 - Phase 2B inviting meaningful objections from the citizens. The deadline for this is 20th July 2021. 



And this still does not complete the entire Airport stretch. 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangalore is losing trees. Again.


This time from Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport for a metro rail project. The project estimates that 3366 trees will be felled (based on current public notices), total number may be close to 5500 trees.

The Phase 2 A, package 1 stretch from Silk Board to Ibbalur has beautiful trees like Akash Mallige, Hunge, Gulmohar, Tabebuia Rosea, Raintrees, Ashoka, Mahagony, Banyan, Cluster Fig with large canopies, all marked to be felled. 

Namma Metro has split the project into Phase 2 A and 2 B. However, within these Phases, the project is further split into package 1 and package 2. Such fragmentation of projects does not provide citizens with a holistic view of what the project impacts are. 

One of the important issues to understand is systemic confusion government bodies are creating with multiple notices by dividing the project and asking for objections on parts of the project rather than indicating total numbers of trees to be felled for the project. 

Timeline

  1. 30 April: Public notice to the removal of trees in Kodibeesanahalli to Bypanahalli line, also known as ORR Line Phase 2 A - package 2. - Numbers of Trees to be cut -1026

  2. 3000+ citizens send objections to DCF to extend the deadline. 

  3. The deadline is extended until 30 June for the cutting of 1026 trees. 

  4. On 23 June, again objections were invited for cutting 833 and 1507 trees for Package 1 of 2A and Package 1 of 2 B. 


Experts feel the estimated tree cover lost could be more. 

STRR, PRR, KRDCL, HAL underpass, BMRCL -- We now have so many terms that we associate with tree felling projects! These are mega infrastructure projects that are shaving the city from all sides leading to complete loss of beautiful green canopies that once covered our city. 

In a city that cares for its ecology and environment, tree cutting should be the exception. But unfortunately, no large infrastructure project has ever been denied tree felling permissions in Bangalore city. 

Please sign this petition and send a letter to the Deputy conservator of Forests to save these beautiful trees from being massacred on the Central Silk Board to KIAL line.

We have until July 4th to submit our objections. Sign and email now!

5,685 of 10,000 signatures

Thank you for signing this campaign to save trees from Silk Board to Bangalore Airport. 

The more people are behind an issue - the more likely it is that decision-makers will pay attention. Each name that is added to a campaign takes it one step closer to succeeding.

Can you help spread the word about this campaign by sharing it with your friends and family?

Thanks for all that you do,

The Jhatkaa.org team.

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