Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA) - pics - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Mar 28: MCC corporator Ganesh Rao staged dharna demanding the re-planting of a tree that had been felled from a public place at Bunts Hostel here on Wednesday March 28.

The tree has been in the thick of controversies for long.  Though several attempts have been made to uproot the tree which is in front of a complex at Bunts Hostel, neither MCC nor locals have succeeded in it owing to strong opposition.  Local corporator Ganesh Rao has been vehemently opposing the felling of this tree.

However, on Wednesday morning the tree was uprooted from the place as per the demands of a lady who owns a shop in the complex which is near the tree.  The tree was removed with the help of MCC JCB machine.  But corporator Ganesh Rao did not know about this operation.

However, as soon as Ganesh Rao came to know about this, he rushed to the place.  But by then the tree had been uprooted and the MCC-hired workers were getting ready to transport it in a lorry.  But Ganesh Rao did not allow the workers to do so.  He even kept his car on the way and blocked the JCB from moving from the place.

Finally the MCC worker had to bow.  Since the tree could not be re-planted, they symbolically planted plants on the same place and left the scene.