Mangalore: Tough Choice for City Dwellers—Saving Trees Vs Concrete Road


Mangalore: Tough Choice for City Dwellers—Saving Trees Vs Concrete Road 
By Rajesh S 
Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (CN)
 


Mangalore, Mar 3: The city is growing swiftly. However, a casualty of this progress are the beautiful, old, trees that are being felled each day to make way for spanking new concrete roads. 

Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) plans to have 26 concrete roads in the city, citing durability of such roads as the reason they are required in the coastal region. 

Once there are 26 concrete roads in the city, there will be an end to the issue of potholes dotting the path. However, there are some groups of citizens who frown upon the threat posed to the environment by the rapid speed of modernization. 

At least 18 magnificent trees, which provided abundant shade during the hot, sunny days, dating back nearly 75 years have been sawed down to make way for five major concrete roads—Mannagudda, Lady Hill, Hampankatta, Lalbagh, and Kuntikan. 

“Development  is essential, but killing oxygen producers is bad. It is equal to killing ourselves”, said Jerald Towers, a resident of Kadri who is also a social worker.  

He says that the administrators always consider themselves supreme as the public cause  is not  important to them. Towers laments the fact that there are not enough people to agitate against such issues which are anti-society. 

Kateel Dinesh Pai who had filed an objection in the city against the cutting down of trees says that 18 trees have been felled down since 2000. “I had filed an objection, but it has not had any effect since the contractors involved in the construction, with the support of the MCC, have cut the trees indiscriminately”, he says.  

Pai has also held numerous protests and toiled hard to save the trees. But all his efforts have been in vain due to political power of the ruling parties in the MCC. 

Former mayor Ganesh Hosabettu had said when laying the foundation stone for the concrete roads that there were plans to preserve as many trees as possible. But he has failed to keep his word and the felling of trees continues.  
















The MCC has prepared tenders for 26 roads in the city, which will lead to the cutting down of about 25 trees. Environmentalists are concerned that soon we will live in a city of no trees!  

Hanumanth  Kamath, president, Nagarika  Hitharakshana Vedike, claims that trees  are essential for the city as they provide fresh oxygen which is in short supply here owing to the pollution from vehicles and industries. 

“Parks and trees are called ‘breathing spaces’, and are also mentioned in the city planning project drawn up recently. Parks in the city are uncared for and with the felling of trees, there will be no breathing space left. This is equal to killing human beings”, says Kamath, adding that the MCC is not following the rule of planting two trees for every tree that is cut down. 

The forest department has also been turning a blind eye to the cutting of trees owing to the influence of the MCC. The forest department has to issue permission letters for the cutting of certain trees though some are also cut down without any prior permission. 

Now Mangaloreans are faced with the hard choice of opting for development through concrete roads or saving the environment by putting an end to felling of trees.

  

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Comment on this article

  • JACOB MENDONSA, MANGALORE

    Thu, Mar 05 2009

    IT IS VERY ESSENTIAL TO CUT THE TREES IN ORDER TO WIDEN THE ROADS.GOVT IS DOING THE RIGHT THING.CONSIDERING THE EVER INCREASING TRAFFIC GOVT HAS NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO CUT THE TREES FOR THE SMOOTH FLOW OF TRAFFIC.THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSSING SUCH MINOR THINGS THEY MUST KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF GARBAGE THROWN ON THE ROADS WHICH IS VERY BAD FOR THE HEALTH.

    WE SHOULD ALL JOIN TOGETHER TO CLEAN THE ROADS SO THAT OUR MANGALORE SHOULD LOOK MORE BEAUTIFUL.LOOK AT STONES TROWN ON THE ROADS & NOT CLEARED FOR YEARS.I HVE NOT SEEN IN ANY PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT STONES ARE THROWN ON THEIR ROADS.IT IS REALLY A SHAME TO SEE SUCH GARBAGE & STONES ON OUR ROADS.IS ANY BODY THERE TO PROTEST AGAINST SUCH BAD UNCLEAN UGLY ROADS.OUR POOR CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE PROPER FOOTPATH TO WALK WHILE GOING TO SCHOOL,WHY?IS NO BODY BOTHERED?WITH THE ABSENCE OF SIGNALS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CROSS ANY ROAD IN MAGALORE.

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  • Ronald , Udyavar/Karnataka

    Thu, Mar 05 2009

    I strongly share the sentiments of Messrs. Jerald Towers, Dinesh Pai and Hanumantth Kamath. If this is going to continute health and well being of the people, particularly the very young and elderly is bound to be endangered. It is the sacred duty of this or any Govt in power to give these members of our society basic comforts like clean air and water.

    Even Udupi and a large stretch of neighbouring rural areas - at least up to 10 km received a WARNING through the early morning SMOG of 3 March, 2009 (was Daijiworld unaware ?). The whole of Udupi and many neighbouring rural areas were filled with a highly persistent and MORBID blackish looking fog which was not at all common in this area.

    The air was heavy with this inertial smog which clearly looked OMINOUS to say the least for people having respiratory problems. The worst is yet to come and aviation safety is also to be considered on account of poor visibility on account of increasing frequency and persistence of SMOG or industerial FOG. The worst is yet to come in the D.Kannada and even the Udupi area if reckless development continues. Mark it down that you had first read it in these comments.

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  • ruchir agarwal, mangalore

    Thu, Mar 05 2009

    For the information of all presnt here Ashoka trees can be planted on sides of roads.These grow tall and dont spread at all.They require hardly any care and less water.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Althaf, MANGALORE / SANA'A, YEMEN

    Wed, Mar 04 2009

    Its good roads are improving, At the same time we need to protect our environment. Its better corporation makes a rule that if one tree is cut 10 trees should be planted.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Kiran, K s a

    Wed, Mar 04 2009

    It is good that Mangalore is improving mean while we have to live also.  If no greenery then there is  no life . I want to see Mangalore transforming itself into a paradise soon but not a desert . Politicians please wake up  before its too late .

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  • Gopal Shetty M, Kundapura/Mysore

    Tue, Mar 03 2009

    As the City grows, infrastructures like wide roads, subways, fly overs, parks etc. should be provided. So, it is inevitable that some trees have to be felled, some buildings have to be demolished to make the city beautiful. To compensate the loss of old trees, saplings should be planted in open spaces, new parks should be provided. Mangaluru is blessed with forests and underwood within its urban limits.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Lester Pinto, Mangalore-Chennai

    Tue, Mar 03 2009

    Mangalore is a rapidly growing city but unfortunately, basic necessities and improvements are not given priority at all. Of late, the authorities seem to have woken up from their slumber and have started concreting the roads on a war footing. When it comes to widening of roads which is the need of the hour, there cannot be any compromise whatsoever on sparing trees.

    So let's not make an issue about it and blame the authorities. Instead, people who conveniently choose to complain may please make the first move by forming voluntary organisations which should come forward and plant saplings wherever needed and save the environment.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • brijesh, mangalore

    Tue, Mar 03 2009

    You are rite Marcel...they can plant a sapling, but the real fact is the road work is not completed. its still in progress. if they again plant saplings when work is in progress, I dont think that the saplings will grow.

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  • Marcel M. D'Souza, MANGALORE

    Tue, Mar 03 2009

    Why can't they plant a sapling when they cut a old one. At least they can do that. Cutting the trees without permission calls for protest. Nagaraika Hithrakshana Vedike please save at least such trees. save these trees and save Mangalore.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Eric Coelho, Mangalore/Ajman

    Tue, Mar 03 2009

    The Mangaloreans have not spared their Own Gardens. Many Private Properties in Mangalore of 15/20/30/40 cents of Land with old Tiled Roofing Housing with so much Greenery was Sold to Real Estate Sharks then why should the Mangaloreans bother about Public Trees. In fact the trees (More than 75 years old) stretched from Saibeen Complex to Big Bazar at Lalbagh was cruelly chopped off. Nobody was there to object it.

    The only thing I could say was Curse on these People and this Government. Just as we hit and thrash human beings then what is Nature. In the name of Development we are in for any destruction even to the extent of making people Homeless.

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