Hubballi: Parisarakkage Naavu, an organisation campaigning for the deconcreting of trees since 2019, has decided to take up the issue with elected representatives of the HDMC and urge civic authorities to complete the pending work.According to survey records prepared by HDMC officials in 2019 and cited by the organisation, 1,265 trees were deconcreted out of 2,852 identified for the exercise. The NGO said the authorities did not continue the programme after the initial phase, leaving a large number of trees still surrounded by concrete. The group plans to intensify its efforts to ensure completion of the environmental initiative.The NGO members also raised concerns over what they described as the continued practice of concreting around trees in the city, even after the deconcreting exercise began in 2019. They said this practice persists despite what they termed violations of National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and provisions under the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act. The group said the authorities should take strict action to prevent fresh instances of concreting and ensure compliance with existing directions.Veena Tonapi, a member of Parisarakkage Naavu, said the purpose of deconcreting is to allow trees adequate access to soil and water and to prevent damage to roots and trunks caused by continuous cementing. She said the civic body’s responsibility does not end with selective removal of concrete and that the remaining identified trees should also be covered under the programme.Referring to govt orders, she said a mud space must compulsorily be left around trees. As per these directions, authorities should maintain a mud space equal to the tree’s diameter and ensure that the area is not re-covered with concrete during road or footpath work.She added that the organisation would continue to pursue the matter with the HDMC until the pending deconcreting work is completed and the directions are implemented on the ground. “We also suggest that citizens be made aware of the adverse effects of concreting around trees. We have seen private individuals concreting trees on footpaths in front of their houses. They must be given a timeline to remove the concrete,” she said.Santosh Chavan, deputy mayor, said members of the NGO had recently met officials and submitted a memorandum. “The matter will be discussed with the concerned authorities, and necessary action will be initiated,” he added.
