Before (above) and after the pictures of trees translocation in Anand Nagar Colony in Nagole.
Removing trees from the edges of the road colony in the city became controversial when the forest department officials issued a permission to translocate trees from an address other than stated in the application.
According to available details, all residents except one, along road 4, Anand Nagar Colony, Bandlaguda from Nagole, decided to remove the trees on the outskirts of the road, because the colony road narrowed and denied maneuverability for four wheels.
A year ago, they caused a few trees reported to forest officials who inspected and penalized the perpetrators.
After learning the right procedure from the foresters, the resident, K. Sutesh Babu, later turned to the forest department, which was looking for permission to fall six trees – Jamun, Guava, Teel Maddi, Two Seetaphal and Moduga, giving his address as a place.
The population approached the wing of the urban biodiversity of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), for “without objections” (night).
That was a twist. The applicant had no trees. Pictures of trees lining the counter-dumb house were given with the geo-sougher of Mr. Suesh Babu’s house, as the owner of the opposite house Rahul Rachakond claimed.
“I wanted to keep the trees because they once protected us from the uprooted electric pole. I fought a tooth and a nail for it. I made 15 representations of the forest department and GHMC not to allow tree felling, but without success,” Rachakonda said.
On Saturday, the trees, with the exception of Tella Maddi, were discontinued by the workers in an unscientific way and taken away.
Interestingly, the night of Hayatnagar Circle, the night of the city’s biodiversity, says that the trees at the applicant “can be translunted in his own spaces”.
As it happened, even Mr. Suresh Babu, nor Mr. Rachakonda were not the “owner” of the trees, nor the trees at the address were neither moved to the owner.
“They tried to persuade me to allow the trees to be translated into my premises as ordered in the permission, but I put my leg down and said they should be preserved where they are,” said Mr. Rachakonda.
After looking for clarification, fro, spilled, K. Sharat Chandra Reddy said that most of the inhabitants wanted the trees to go when the road was narrow and therefore allowed.
He said the trees were translocated to the edges of the roads in another place. However, the forest authorization claims that they should only be moved to the “residential” spaces at the address.
The width of the road was depicted as 25 feet in the layout of the colony, but only about 18 feet remained after the residents, including the applicant, built ramps reaching on the road.
“This is the most bizarre way to get rid of trees. Some are competing to remove trees from another person’s house !!! and all the wards concerned will see the opposite until the trees are removed (sic), read the Wool Foundation’s contribution that brought the incident to light.
Published – June 28, 2025 21:20
