Bengaluru: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has sought permission from the state forest department to cut a whopping 20 lakh trees to make way for the proposed Mudigere-Bairapura-Shishila-Uppinangady-Mangaluru road, which connects the coastal district with Chitradurga. Presently, only cart-way exists in the forest area.
According to sources in the state forest department, this project is nothing but a disaster.
“The NHAI wants to implement this project via the thick forests of Shishila and Bairapura. Adding to this, the NHAI wants the forest department to denotify the 61 hectares of reserved forest land. If the project is implemented it will be a catastrophe,” explained a senior officer.
When contacted, the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed the developments. “But the proposal has been returned to the NHAI as it is incomplete,” informed a senior officer.
