Thursday, June 5, 2008

Should we allow this 'Mara Medha' (axing trees) to continue?


Should we allow this

'Mara Medha'

(axing trees) to continue?


Trees consume carbon Dye Oxide and give us Oxygen or Pranavayu apart from fruits, flowers, shade and air. But in return we axe them for our selfish motto. Is this right thing? On this Day of World Environment' we must think seriously how to protect trees to save our Mother Earth.

Nethrakere Udaya Shankara

Recently I observed three letters in the Letters to the Editor's coloum of Deccan Herald. All these three letters are related to axing of trees for development purposes.

In his letter Mr. K. Shrikanth from Kollur said that he was shocked and pained to see 100 old trees neem, banyan and mango being cut down one by one in order to turn the road in to a four - lane high way.

The execution of trees that for generations have worked as land marks, shelter and shade for people living and traveling by this road, is indeed painful, he wrote.

'How indecent, I thought can development be, and for what gain and loss? Could the authorities not have let the highway and parts of constructed on different routes some hundred meters away going around the village, like it is done in Europe, especially in Sweeden' Mr. Shrikant asked painfully.

'Certain paths of the old road with ancient trees could have been kept as a heritage for future generations as a tourist attraction, which it surely would become, with all such roads disappearing' he suggested in end of his letter.

Second letter which I observed is of Mr. V. Ranganath from Bangalore. He said at least 8 banyan trees have been felled on both St. John's Circle and Madivala over over three weeks for no discernile reasons.

And about two weeks ago, three more trees got the axe on Adugodi Main road in front of Tata Indicom. As per a ruling from Supreme Court, two new saplings must be planted for each felled tree, but that has not happened yet, he noted.

Though there is enough space for it, not even one sapling has been planted in the median between the stretch from Banashankari to Metro and from Bilekahalli Circle to Meenakshi Temple, he pointed out.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagarapalike (BBMP) who are responsible for this sorry state of affairs, are devising methods like Capital Value System to levy more taxes from the people . They should concentrate on discharging their duties for the benefit of the people and stop the murder of trees, Mr. Ranganath urged.

The third letter which attracted my attention is of Basavaraju Belavangala from Bangalore. He wrote: The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) has a squad to cut the branches of trees that touch power lines, be it the high tension wires or street electricity lines. This is done on a regular basis to keep the trees from coming in contact with power lines.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) takes this further by cutting down trees mercilessly in its task of road widening all over the city.

An alternative to this destruction act is to extend the road while retaining the trees to form a separate lane for two wheelers and three wheelers. (Or it could be used for pedestrian path also isn't it?) The trees in between may act as the medians. In this way invaluable trees can be saved, He suggests.

In addition, the BBMP and Bangalaore Development Authority (BDA) can also think of providing a ten foot lane specifically meant for cyclists, utilising the same concept. This will mitigate, to some extent, numerous problems including those of global warming, pollution, fuel shortage and add to the health and well being of many, Basavaraju wrote.

Three letters appeared separately on separate days. But what these letters wanted to say is very specific and very valuable issue.

Cutting trees for various purposes including ‘development’ has become common feature not only in Bangalore, but almost everywhere. What are the ill effects of such inhuman act? Nobody is bothering.

In the last one century global warming has increased 0.6 Celsius. It will rose to the extent of 5 to 6 degree Celsius by the end of this century due to more usage of petroleum products due to which there will be more production Carbon Dye Oxide and Methane gas, a report released by Green Peace recently said.

According to the report this earth which allowed us to live happily will become barren and unproductive if the global warming increases by minimum 2 degree Celsius. Several trees and animals could vanish from the earth itself due to global warming.

Abnormal production of Carbon Dye Oxide is the main cause of this global warming, report pointed out.

Just think, in one side we are increasing the vehicles which release carbon dye oxide by burning petroleum products and in other side we are axing the trees which consume the carbon dye oxide and releases oxygen or 'Pranavayu' which is inevitable for our existence itself, in the name of development.

Last year United Nations in its report warned that world will see more floods due to excessive heat and melting of glaciers and gradually there will be shortage of water in Indian rivers.

Recently one study said that water level is coming down in Ganga River.

What does this means?

Should we continue axing of trees or 'Mara Medha' in the name of development and contribute much more to increase the global warming which in turn kill our Mother Earth?

This is the question each one of us has to put ourselves and act to protect trees on this day of 'World Environment'.

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