Mysuru: Candlelight vigil, sapling rituals planned after 40 trees axed on Hyder Ali Road
Mysuru: Environmental activists in Mysuru have launched a protest campaign after nearly 40 fully-grown trees were felled along Hyder Ali Road. The felling has triggered criticism from environmental groups, who alleged that the operation was carried out without proper public consultation or adherence to legal procedures.
More than 110 individuals representing 12 organisations, including Parisara Balaga, Mysore Grahakara Parishat, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) – Mysuru unit, Team Mysuru Foundation, and Let’s Do It Mysuru, convened an emergency meeting at Cheluvamba Park on Monday. The group pledged to intensify efforts to protect the city’s green cover and formed a joint Struggle Committee to coordinate future actions.
As part of the protest, a candlelight vigil has been scheduled for April 18 along the stretch of road where the trees were removed. Additionally, the activists announced plans to hold symbolic "11th-day death rituals" for the trees by planting saplings at the same locations to honour the lives lost.
"Trees are living beings. Their loss must be mourned, and we must make people aware of the damage caused by such acts," said Parashurame Gowda of Parisara Balaga during the meeting.
Activists accused the Forest Department of failing to conduct a mandatory public hearing before allowing the felling. They claimed the authorities bypassed regulations by axing fewer than 50 trees at a time, thereby avoiding the requirement for public consultation under the law. Some speakers alleged that trees are often marked for removal in batches of 47 or 48 to sidestep legal scrutiny, even when a larger number is involved.
"There appears to be a clear understanding between the Forest Department, Public Works Department, and timber traders. This practice of staged tree-felling must be exposed and stopped," said one of the protestors.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
