GREEN CAUSE: Students of Maharani's College collecting signatures in Mysore on Tuesday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: In an interesting turn of events, students of Maharani's College here some of whom had supported tree felling to pave the way for construction of laboratory and additional classrooms, have reversed their stance and urged the authorities to drop the plan.

Students have launched a signature campaign to prevail upon the college authorities, the Forest Department and the university to save six giant trees including three banyan trees, one rain tree and a peepul that were identified for felling to facilitate new construction on the campus.

A Tree Court held on the college premises last week witnessed unruly scenes as environmentalists were shouted down. Sources told The Hindu that students known to oppose such moves were deliberately kept out of the hearing. Some of the students had said that the college served the economically weaker sections of society and they would be deprived of quality education and facilities if the views of environmentalists were allowed to prevail and college extension was delayed.

Ornithologist Manu, rationalist Ramadas, theatre activist Muddukrishna and Nitin of Mysore Amateur Naturalists were among those who were present during the Tree Court hearing but they were shouted down and forced out of the venue by those supporting tree felling.

But subsequently, a section of the students learnt of the developments and have now launched a signature campaign seeking a reversal of the earlier decision. They have already collected over 600 signatures. In a memorandum that is to be submitted to the Principal, the DCF and other authorities, the students have urged the former to reconsider the present plan so as to avoid tree felling.

The memorandum pointed out that the trees could be saved if the building plan was altered. The students noted that many birds were nesting in the trees and felling these could cause considerable environmental damage.

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