The Forest department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has registered a case against G R Tech Park and Salarpuria Properties Pvt Ltd in Whitefield for illegally felling 19 trees. According to the complaint, 19 ashoka trees were felled near the ITPL main road without any authorisation. “The trees were located on the roadside in front of the G R Tech Park and Salarpuria Properties Pvt Ltd compound,” the FIR noted. The department said that the act violated Section 8(1) (restriction on felling of trees) of the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976. The FIR was filed after citizens wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding action. The Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, who had alerted BBMP officials about the felling of trees, sought action. The BBMP's Forest department later filed an FIR. The department officials, who had inspected the spot, in their report said that of the 35 trees, 19 trees were illegally felled. BLG Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Forest department of the BBMP, told the media that a fine has been imposed and if they fail to pay, a chargesheet will be submitted to the court. “He also said that the inquiry is still underway to check who were the persons behind the felling of trees,” he said.
