Report and pic by Vinay Pais
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jul 17: A beautification drive has been launched by the town municipality, under which the majestic trees that lined up the town streets have not been given a chance to survive. Accordingly, these towering trees were felled in an operation that lasted all through the day on Wednesday July 16, disrupting traffic that could move only at a snail's pace, only on one side of the road.

It may be recalled, that most of these trees were planted by the late Kota Laxminarayan Karanth, brother of the late K Shivaram Karanth, who championed the cause of planting trees throughout Udupi district with the object of cooling the environment and providing shade to the passers by.

The trees used to remind the people of the generous gesture of the late Karanth. The trees which used to be a part and parcel of town landscape, have now become a thing of the past. The old guard will continue to cherish the memories of the trees and also the person who planted them. It would have been good if the trees were made a part and parcel of the municipality's beautification programme and given a chance to live on, said some of them while speaking to this correspondent.