Mysuru, 13 April
The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has come under sharp criticism after over 40 large trees were axed on a 600m stretch between SP Office junction and a hypermall in Nazarbad on Sunday as part of road widening works.

The move has triggered outrage among environmentalists, especially as they had opposed the tree felling just two days ago. The trees were cut down early in the morning, reportedly to avoid resistance from activists and locals.

According to Mahadevaswamy, a resident, the Forest Department had only granted permission to trim branches. However, the contractor awarded the tender allegedly felled entire trees and transported the logs in trucks.

“The trees were worth lakhs of rupees, and this looks more like a timber operation than a civic project,” he said.

Environmentalists have condemned the action, noting that such felling has become increasingly frequent across the city. “Birds are losing their natural habitats. The forest department must stop approving large-scale tree cutting in the name of development,” said Umamahesh, a Mysuru-based environmentalist.