Bengaluru: It was one tree that brought residents of HRBR Layout out onto the streets Saturday morning. Around 80 residents of II Block gathered with ‘Save Trees’ placards and slogans, protesting the midnight felling of a mature banyan tree and two other trees last week.The trees were allegedly cut around 2am without the knowledge of the residents’ welfare association (RWA). Residents said they were yet to ascertain who authorised the felling and why it was carried out at such an hour.The banyan had been a familiar part of the neighbourhood for around three decades and provided shade to hundreds of people. The spot was particularly popular with students from nearby colleges and elderly residents, who would gather under the tree to eat and relax.Residents suspect construction activity behind the spot, including the renovation of an existing building and work on a new structure, may have prompted the removal. They also believe the felling could be linked to efforts to improve visibility for commercial activity in the area. However, they said they had no confirmation of who ordered the cutting or whether permission had been obtained.A 10-year-old resident said: “I feel sad seeing the tree gone. It was flourishing and beautiful. One day, I noticed the road was covered with its leaves, and a few days later, I realised it had been cut down. We need to plant more trees.”KR Prabhakar, president of HRBR Layout II Block RWA, said the association has raised the issue with Bengaluru North City Corporation officials and sought action. “This tree was planted over 25 years ago and had grown to around 20ft, providing shade to many people. We don’t know who cut it, but we want accountability. Commercialisation has increased in our area and trees are increasingly being removed in the name of trimming. We’ve gathered today to make residents’ voices heard and seek justice for all three trees,” he said.Residents also questioned why the cutting, if legally permitted, was carried out around 2am. They demanded that RWAs be informed before mature trees in residential neighbourhoods are felled.Karthik Reddy, a 33-year-old techie, said Bengaluru had a persistent problem of healthy trees being cut for real estate and commercial interests. “Every mature tree should have a unique ID or QR code so citizens can track its status and the permissions sought against it. For every tree cut, compensatory plantation should be mandatory. Development and sustainability must go hand in hand if Bengaluru is to retain its Garden City identity,” he said.Prabhakar said several bird nests had been present on the banyan. He added that he had planted more than 3,000 saplings through the association and urged residents to get involved in decisions concerning trees in their neighbourhood.Following a public complaint, the forest department of BNCC had issued a notice on Aug 11 regarding a dried roadside tree in HRBR Layout II Phase. The recipient appeared before officials on Aug 12 and denied drying it, suggesting a labourer may have done so during construction. During an Aug 31 inspection, officials found three trees — one Goni, one Dalichandra, and one Honge — illegally cut and removed without permission. A forest case was registered on Sept 1 and officials claimed necessary action was taken.
