TenderSURE project killing trees, say activists, environmentalists

BENGALURU: Activists and environmentalists under the

Bengaluru Forum for Urban Governance

and Commons came together to release their study on the environmental impact of the TenderSURE project. They claimed executors of the project are ignoring road history, which has resulted in felling of trees.

R Sheshadri, environmentalist and member of the

forum

said, “The city's micro environment is getting affected by the systematic destruction of urban ecology. I feel the TenderSURE executors haven't studied the history of the city's roads, have left no room for urban forestry and soil space for future planting.There is no environment management plan, which is needed on an yearly basis.“ He added, “There is no scope for rainwater harvesting. The sewage and water pipelines are laid together and there have been some cases of leakage.“

The activists claimed the pipes are so close to the roots that the trees are bound to collapse sooner or later.

M N Sreehari, adviser to the government for traffic & infrastructure said, “No experts were called to review the TenderSURE plan; it is the most unscientific thing I know of. We require a thirdparty audit to look into the project.“

The forum claimed the main aim of the project is to pave the way for major utility lines of power, water, sewage, drainage, telecom and gas.Trees, on the other hand, are incidentally part of the multicrore project.