Activists hold symbolic funeral for fallen trees around KBR National Park on World Environment Day

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Volunteers, activists and citizens opposing the tree felling around the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park participated in a ‘symbolic funeral’ of the trees which were removed from various stretches to facilitate flyovers under the Hyderabad City Innovative and Transformative Infrastructure project, on Friday (June 5), marking the World Environment Day.

Under ‘Save KBR’ banner, they gathered at the main entrance of the park to pay homage to ‘100s’ of trees which had been removed, which they claimed, was in gross violation of the High Court order in 2021 that imposed an interim stay on all tree felling around the park.

Mourners of the trees wore white clothes, and a pyre was prepared with a few logs which represented the fallen trees. Six mourners then picked up the bier and a ‘funeral procession’ was taken from the main entrance up to the Cancer Hospital Junction, where a ‘grave’ was dug for the ‘slain tree’.

To the sound of Telugu folk music, the tree was laid down in the grave as mourners tied sacred thread around the tree as a symbol of protection, and planted two saplings on either side.

“Why don’t you realise that this intense heat wave is because the government is cutting trees indiscriminately? We need development, but please understand that development cannot come at the cost of destruction of the environment,” an activist said.

Vijay Mallangi, who has long been associated with the Save KBR Campaign, requested the authorities to conduct a public hearing and listen to the voice of the common citizen.