Bengaluru: Greater Bengaluru Authority’s forest department has registered an FIR against Auro Mirra International School at Ulsoor after it allegedly cut 12 branches of two trees on its premises without obtaining prior permission. The school, however, has defended the pruning, saying it was undertaken as a safety measure to protect students.Following an inspection, the department registered a tree cutting offence case against a person associated with the school on Nov 11.According to the range forest officer (RFO), branches of a peepal tree and a gulmohar tree were cut without prior approval from the department. The case has been registered under the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976.The matter was also taken to the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court which authorised the forest department to investigate the alleged non-cognisable offence and submit a final report.The RFO said the investigation was under way and that the school could either pay the prescribed penalty after the investigation or approach the court for further proceedings.A school representative said a large branch of the gulmohar tree had fallen while children were lining up for the school assembly, narrowly avoiding an accident. The school also claimed that the branches removed were leaning towards the building and terrace.“We have a campus built around trees, and every plant and tree is important to us. We have trees that are nearly 200 years old, and we have been protecting them. The branches were cut only from a safety perspective, as some were leaning towards the building,” the representative said.When TOI asked why permission was not sought, the representative said the campus manager was on leave and not available to comment.Meanwhile, residents have sought stringent action against the school, arguing that unauthorised pruning of mature trees could affect the city’s urban bird population.
