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Mangaloreans want environmental friendly development; demand saving trees during NHAI work
Vartha Bharati | 03-09-2024 | 00:14:00 IST
Mangaluru: Environmental activists from the city have opposed all developmental projects that involve felling of trees and which lead to an ecological imbalance. They were expressing their opinions on the National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) decision to cut down 99 trees for the expansion of a stretch of the highway, from KPT to Nanthoor, at a grievance redressal meeting organized at the Range Forest Office at Hoige Bazar in Mangaluru on Monday.
"The city struggles to get water in the summer and fears floods in the rainy season. We have the disasters that happened at Shirur and Wayanad before our own eyes, this monsoon. We don't oppose any developments but we are against any developments that destroy trees. Let the development happen along with the conservation of trees", the activists demanded.
Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Clifford Lobo said that NHAI had identified 99 trees to be felled in the 350 metre stretch of the highway. As the regulations mandated seeking of public opinion when more than 50 trees were cut down, the current meeting was being held, he said.
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National Environmental Conservation Federation (NECF) Convenor Shashidhar Shetty objected to the cutting down of hundreds of trees along the stretch of the road even before any expansion works ensued. He said that the NHAI was not following the green policy and the trees could be shifted to a different location. A notice had been issued against the forest department by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for its negligence in connection with the Shirur landslide, he said. "Rs 17 crore green cess collected by Mangaluru City Corporation during 2004-2017 isn't being used for providing a green cover to the city. It is used for some other purpose", he accused.
Corporator Manohar Kadri opposed the opinions of the environmental activists who were allegedly silent on the vast number of trees cut down during the building of apartments in the city. He said that the current extension work was of paramount importance as the traffic congestion in Nanthur junction was even affecting ambulances carrying patients in critical conditions.
Harish Raj, a NECF representative, sought information about the places where trees where being planted for the ones cut down in the name of development. "Where will the trees that can be transferred from the location be shifted to?" he asked. Activist Kishor Attavar highlighted the need of a ring road to alleviate the traffic issues in the Nanthoor junction.
Seeking public cooperation for places to plant more trees in the next three years for those cut down for the project, ACF Clifford Lobo assured that he would personally inspect how many trees among the ones marked for felling could be saved or translocated.
NHAI Manager Chandrashekhar said that the KPT-Nathur road would be 40 metre wide in the middle, along with an 8 metre wide service road. "The highway will go across an underpass and the vehicles travelling towards Bengaluru will take the service road. All necessary structural designs including underground sewage system has been planned in the underpass to avoid clogging", he said.
Bhuvan, a youth attending the meeting, said that it was of no use if a tree was planted in Vamanjoor for the one that was cut in Mangaluru as a tree also sheltered a vast amount of birds and insects. "Mangaluru has only 6.2% of tree cover while the actual amount essential for an urban area is 33%. So we must plan for planting more trees while trying to conserve the existing ones", he said.
Referring to the politicians' dreams to make a Singapore out of Mangaluru, environmental activist Jeeth Milan Roche reminded attendees that Singapore had 44% tree cover while Mangaluru had only 6.2%. "2 lakh people die due to air pollution every year in the country. And it’s wrong to say that trees cause accidents on the road. Trees must be saved, and caution must be exercised about pot holes and unscientific projects", he added.
Range Forest Officer (RFO) Rajesh Baligar, NHAI site engineer Naveen and plantation expert Ashika were present.
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Shirtless protest at AI Summit: Police adds charges of rioting against arrested IYC members
24-02-2026 ¦
24-02-2026 IST
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has added charges of rioting against the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) members arrested in connection with the shirtless protest during the AI Summit here last week, an official said on Tuesday.
Eight IYC members, including its president Uday Bhanu Chib, have been arrested so far. Police have added sections 191(1) (rioting) and 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the case.
Addressing a press conference, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime and Police Management & Media Cell) Devesh Chandra Srivastva described the accused as 'aggressive elements' and said that a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event.
"On February 20, 2026, while the India AI Impact Summit was underway at Bharat Mandapam, a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event. The aggressive elements were immediately overpowered. During the process of restraining them, some police personnel deployed on duty sustained injuries," he said.
He added that during the course of investigation, many individuals were seen in CCTV footage from the event venue and surrounding areas.
"The involvement of several other persons has also been detected, who were allegedly assisting the aggressive elements in various ways in carrying out the act," the Special CP said.
He said to unearth the entire conspiracy, continuous coordination is being maintained with police authorities of other states and raids are being carried out.
"During investigation, Sections 191(1) and 192 of the BNS have also been added. Based on the investigation so far, it has emerged that the offence was committed as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy, and substantial evidence in this regard has been obtained," he said.
Considering the multi-state ramifications of the case, the underlying financial and logistical networks among the accused, and the need for a comprehensive probe, further investigation has been transferred to the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch, Srivastva added.
According to police, additional sections under the BNS, including 196 (promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 197 (assertions prejudicial to national integration), have been invoked in the FIR. Both carry a jail term of up to three years.
Charges of criminal conspiracy, obstruction of a public servant in discharge of duty, disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant, unlawful assembly and common intention had already been added to the case.
On Friday, the group of IYC workers staged a dramatic protest inside Hall No. 5 of the summit venue by removing their shirts to reveal T-shirts printed with slogans against the government and the India-US interim trade deal, before being whisked away by security personnel.
Police said the accused had registered online and obtained QR codes to gain entry into the venue.
The incident triggered a political slugfest, with the BJP calling it a "shameful act to tarnish India's image on the global stage", and the IYC defending it as a "peaceful" demonstration aimed at safeguarding national interests.