Trees Choked by Concrete: Activists Demand Action

Parisarakkage Naavu, an organization advocating for tree deconcreting since 2019, is escalating efforts to engage elected officials and civic authorities in Hubballi. The group highlights that despite initial progress, a significant number of trees remain encased in concrete, hindering their access to soil and water.

Records from 2019 indicate that 1,265 trees were deconcreted out of 2,852 identified. Activists point to ongoing concreting around trees, which they argue violates National Green Tribunal orders and the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act. They stress the necessity of maintaining adequate mud space around trees, equal to their diameter, and preventing further cementing during infrastructure work.

The organization plans to pursue the matter until all pending deconcreting work is finished and directives are implemented. They also propose public awareness campaigns regarding the adverse effects of concreting around trees and suggest timelines for private citizens to remove existing concrete. The deputy mayor acknowledged the NGO's concerns and assured that the matter would be discussed with relevant authorities for necessary action.