Bengaluru: A 40-year-old rain tree was cut down on the request of a developer in RR Nagar, sparking protests from environmentalists and residents of the area.

Just five days after the notice, the BBMP deployed men and machinery to cut down the healthy tree that was standing on a road corner. BM Prasanna Kumar, a resident of Vishwabharathi Housing Complex Society in RR Nagar, had requested that the tree be cut down as its branches were overhanging the road. The notice also stated the damage caused by the tree to two cars, but did not provide any evidence.

BBMP Deputy Forest Minister (DCF) BLG Swamy approved the request, citing a random inspection conducted by the Zonal Forest Department officials.

Local residents said the BBMP had approved the request without checking the health of the tree. When the municipality started cutting the tree on Saturday, some of them called the forest department but there was no response. They rushed to the police to lodge a complaint. When the residents returned, the tree had been cut down.

Environmentalist Joseph Hoover said the BBMP had no time to remove dead branches but acted in haste to cut down a healthy tree. “This is not just about a tree. If the people who do such things are not punished, our future generations will be in a serious situation,” he said.