Following a DH exposé on tree suffocation due to concretised bases, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has de-concretised 108 tree bases across 8 major city roads, spanning 11.44 km. This action came after DCF (Mysuru) K.N. Basavaraju issued directives in response to environmental concerns.
The cleared stretches include:
- 1.6 km: Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road (Five Lights to Fountain Circle)
- 3.09 km: Nelson Mandela & Sayyaji Rao Roads (LIC Circle to KR Hospital)
- 630 m: Dewans Road
- 4.01 km: Vinobha Road
- 600 m: Irwin Road
- 170 m: Bogadi Road
- 840 m: Andolana Circle to Anikethana Road
- 50 m: Vishwamanava Road
Of the 339 trees surveyed, 108 had concretised bases, now restored to allow aeration and water absorption, said MCC Commissioner Sheikh Tanveer Asif and Development Commissioner K.J. Sindhu.
In a systemic fix, MCC passed a resolution:
- Fine of ₹2000 for failing to remove concrete within a set period
- Mandatory de-concretisation clauses in future contracts
- Commitment to city-wide correction of past mistakes
The move echoes the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling (Sahil Garg vs. State of Punjab), mandating 1-metre radius soil coverage around trees for root health. Backing this, State Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre ordered a statewide anti-concretisation drive on May 22.
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