HD Kumaraswamy intervenes to save trees planted by Salumarada Thimmakka

BENGALURU: Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday intervened to save about 280 trees planted by the fabled environmentalist Salumarada Thimmakka from getting axed to make way for the widening of a state highway between Ramanagara and Chikkaballapura districts.
The CM instructed officials from the public works department (PWD) to make alternative arrangements to save the trees, while carrying out the road widening works. PWD officials told TOI that they were exploring various options including deviating the highway.
“As per the chief minister’s instructions, we will consider all possible means to carry on with the road widening works without disturbing the trees,” said KS Krishna Reddy, PWD secretary.
As part of the ongoing works to widen the 234 km state highway (SH-94) connecting Halaguru in Ramanagara district and Bagepalli in Chikkaballapura district, the public works department had marked trees for chopping, among which were 287 banyan trees planted by centurion Thimmakka, who has been bestowed with Padma Shri award for her phenomenal work in conservation of environment.
The canopy of banyan trees along 4 km stretch between Kudur and Hulikal in Ramanagara district stands testimony to the selfless service of Thimmakka, who along with her husband planted 385 banyan trees on either side of the state highway in 1990s.
Environmentalists and common public were shocked at the PWD’s advertisement on Sunday said that land to the extent of 40 meter from the median would be acquired on either side for the purpose of road widening, which means 287 trees planted by Thimmakka would have to be chopped.
Not just the trees, Thimmakka’s house in Kudur would also be demolished as the whole landscape of the village was poised to change due to the road widening works.
“I was so shocked that I did not know what to do. I just dialled deputy chief minister G Parameswara. He asked me to come over to his residence and he took me to the chief minister,” said Thimmakka.
“I am thankful to both the CM and the DCM as they did not only gave me a patient hearing, but also intervened to stop officials from cutting the trees,” she added..
Umesh, Thimmakka’s adopted son, said the 107-year old environmentalist had made up her mind to launch a protest and stage sit-in on the highway if the authorities had not relented.
“I have dedicated my whole life for these trees and I cannot stand the scene of them getting chopped. It would be the height of cruelty that I would have been forced to witness in the fag end of my life,” she said.