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Incensed by the recent felling of 40 trees in Mysuru for road-widening, the Mysore Grakahara Parishat (MGP) has sought the intervention of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to investigate and ascertain whether the Forest Department was under pressure to give its approval.<\/p>\n

In a letter addressed to Subash Adi, Chairman of the NGT State-level committee, the MGP has said it did not believe any of the officials in the Forest Department or the MCC would have, on their own, sanctioned the felling. Hence, the NGT needed to hold an inquiry to ferret out the facts, said Bhamy Shenoy and S. Shobana of the MGP.<\/p>\n

The letter noted that a mere inquiry by the NGT can result in preventing the felling of trees with impunity in the future. <\/p>\n

The signatories said there are several important projects in the Mysuru Masterplan, like preserving parks and heritage buildings, providing adequate water supply, waste management, etc., which had been ignored, and wondered at the urgency with which the trees were felled.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a section of farmers planted fresh saplings at the site where the trees were felled and expressed their outrage against the Forest Department.<\/p>\n