Citizens call out shady numbers

Citizens criticise BBMP’s ongoing tree census for errors like non-consecutive numbering, shrubs misidentified as trees; raise doubts about its accuracy, credibility

Citizens have pointed out that the ongoing tree census by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is riddled with discrepancies. Despite a private agency being tasked with enumerating Bengaluru’s trees, citizens from various areas say the process is being carried out recklessly.

Tree IDs being generated are not only incoherent; in some areas, flower-bearing shrubs have also been tagged. “We are aghast after seeing bushes in our area counted as trees. This is condemnable. The BBMP ought to be serious about the exercise, especially when more than 80 per cent of the tree cover in the city has been decimated,” said a resident of Giridhama Layout Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

Citizens from Domlur highlighted that the trees being tagged in the area by the BBMP do not have consecutive number labels. “Two trees next to each other are four numbers apart. While one of the trees in the area has been tagged as DOM34, the tree adjacent to it is DOM38. This is not the only case. On many trees counted, numbers are not consecutive. It is bizarre and creates room for suspicion. Who is to say if the trees in between exist or not? It is baffling,” said a resident of Domlur.

According to the BBMP official, the IDs are being generated randomly by the digital application developed by the Karnataka Remote Sensing Institute, leading to IDs with non-consecutive numbers for trees next to one another. “The census is happening in multiple zones simultaneously. Enumerators are using the same app to generate unique IDs for every tree being counted. Thus, the numbers might not be consecutive. But the trees with missing numbers in one area can be found in some other area,” said an official.

“BBMP should have hired a contractor with trained persons to conduct the census. The contractors and workers should have been briefed about the criticality of tree enumeration. Now that it appears to be full of flaws, the outcome of the census should be verified, not once but thrice before disclosing exaggerated numbers,” said Joseph Hoover, former State Board of Wildlife member and founder of the United Conservation Movement and Charitable Trust.

BBMP’s public notices flawed: Experts
City-based tree activists and experts have highlighted that BBMP’s public notices regarding tree removal for development activities are not in line with the rules given by the Karnataka High Court in 2020. “The public notices issued by the BBMP, on behalf of agencies seeking permission to axe trees for various projects, are always missing on multiple aspects that are required as per the HC’s order. It is astonishing to see that the civic agency is not confirming the order,” said a city-based expert.

Enumerators are using same app to generate unique IDs for every tree being counted. So, trees with missing numbers in one area can be found in some other area–BBMP official

According to directions issued by the HC, tree felling applications are required to have the survey number and extent of the land from which trees are to be felled. The applicant is also required to produce a survey sketch along with a khata extract and certificates from the tehsildar regarding the tenure of the land. The application should also have information such as any heritage trees in the list of the trees proposed to be felled. The applicant should further state if the number of trees to be felled can be reduced by slightly changing the alignment of the project or by executing the project in a different but viable location.