How To Save Trees In Cities And Make Urban Planning People Centric
Some Ideas to Advance Public Involvement in Urban Decision Making
Recently, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) received a surge of objections from people opposing the felling of hundreds of trees for the proposed steel flyover on Ballari Road and the widening of Jayamahal Road. In addition, concerns have been raised regarding the ongoing felling of trees on Kanakapura Road and Mysore Road. There is also the threat of mass felling of trees along the western corridors of Bengaluru.
The Tree Act and Tree Committee must be held accountable to prevent the mass felling of trees for infrastructure projects. While the law needs to protect farmers’ access to trees for fuelwood and timber, urban green cover must also be protected so that cities can be livable spaces. Due concern must be invested in protecting urban green cover as it also serves as a wildlife corridor.
Please have a look at our PILs at: ESG’s PIL on road widening and Tree felling, Bangalore Metro, GKVK, Tree Act and other relevant documents
We are grouping together previous campaign efforts to protect trees to assist anyone interested in stepping in and supporting ongoing tree protection efforts:
Jayamahal Tree Felling Illegal, in Contempt of Court (Feb 10, 2017)
Press Release: Public Hearing to review proposed Tree Felling for Phase II of Bangalore Metro cancelled for third time (March 11, 2016)
Bangalore Metro’s efforts to secure ritual clearance for felling of 300 trees fails (Nov 24, 2015)
Eight year old PIL seeking to protect trees dismissed in minutes (June 8, 2015)
Urgent Appeal to Help Verify Claims of BBMP about Tree Planting in Bangalore City (April 22, 2014)
Workshop: Addressing Inadequacies of the Karnataka Preservation of Tree Acts, 1976 (January 26, 2013)
Karnataka High Court Decision approving Sadashivnagar-Yeshwantpur Road Widening Regressive (June 18, 2012)
Communities Impacted by Road Widening and other Transport Projects Unite (July 17, 2012)
Protest Opposing Tree Act Amendment (2010)
Successful Protest Opposing Tree Act Amendment (May 21, 2010)
Hasire Usiru: Campaign to Reclaim Bangalore’s Commons
ESG Submissions to the Empowerment Committee (EC)
Public Action on Road Widening
Public Consultation on “The Road Widening Schemes of Bengaluru: Impacts and Alternatives” (2007)
Documents, Right to Information and Correspondence with Public Officials (2008)
Minutes of Meetings of the Empowered Committee
Report: INTACH Avenue Road walk, 2009
Cycle Inclusive Planning Workshop
Report on workshop: Namma Raste: Reclaiming Bangalore’s roads (2008)
Walk to Reclaim Bangalore, 2008
Urban Governance
Progressive Groups Demand Scrapping of Bangalore Blue-pring Action Group
Workshop on Establishment of Ward Committess
BDA has postponed the Public Hearing on the Revised Master Plan, 2013