Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 23: In the recent past, it has become kind of a fad to talk about environment protection, global warming and such other things, while continuing to cut down huge trees in the name of various projects, rapid urbanization, industrialization etc. Environmentalists, frustrated by the fact that repeated pleas to save the trees go unheeded, have now decided to request the Daivas and the gods to punish those who fell the trees.
Several movements including the famous 'Appiko' (hugging the trees) had been launched in the past to save the trees. But in the changed circumstances, the administration does not give importance to such movements. Therefore, in a novel measure, the environments from here have decided to take their prayers to save the trees to the demigods and gods.
Tree Committee
For the smart city works in the city, trees are cut down one after the other. In the guise of road widening, trees which stood by the roadsides for hundreds of years and provided shade, flowers and fruits to the people are cut down overnight. A 'Tree Committee' headed by Shashidhar Shetty, has been formed by the environmental lovers, for making efforts to save the trees.
In addition to hundreds of trees which have already been axed, many more are in the line for felling. In several of the cases, environmentalists have succeeded in saving the trees which otherwise would have been cut down. But the officials, with their devious plans, are out to defeat the environmentalists and are destroying the green cover. Therefore, the environment lovers have decided to seek the help of Daivas and gods as a last resort.
The committee members said they have saved some trees which were planned to be cut down. In some cases, the officials who agree not to fell the trees have uprooted these trees at night. As the environmentalists are failing in their aim to protest the trees, they have decided to seek the support of the divine. Dinesh Holla, environmentalist and leader of 'Sahyadri Sanchaya' team, said that it has been decided to leave it to the demigods and gods to teach a fitting lesson to those involved with the cutting down of the trees. He said that wherever the officials go ahead with their decision to cut down trees unnecessarily even when a request is made to them to save the trees, the committee members will pray to 'Koragajja' Daiva of coastal Karnataka and hang boards to such trees saying that 'the Daiva will handle those who cut this tree down.'
Such a plan had succeeded when the environmentalists hung a board, that Kadri Lord Manjunatheshwara would punish those who cut down this Scholar (Haale) tree near Jyothi Circle which had been marked to be uprooted for road widening. The tree was saved.
Smart city projects in various places have been executed by giving importance to greenery, underground water table enrichment etc. However, here, concreting of the road, closing of drains with concrete slabs without allowing water to seep into the earth, etc are observed. It appears that they are trying to transform Dakshina Kannada into a drought prone district. Holla says it is the duty of the citizens too to oppose such things as they are harmful for the city dwellers' future.