Mangaluru : After a month the tress were felled in Kadri park the Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim directed to the Horticulture Department to clear all buildings from the proposed Musical Fountain Park at Kadri, environmental activists regretted.

On March 14, activists under the banner Rashtriya Parisara Samrakshana Okkuta carried out a protest against the felling of 17 trees and other works related to the construction of the musical fountain.

The activists had questioned the construction of stalls.The Forest Department had taken note of the unauthorised felling of trees and had registered a case against the contractor of the project under Section 33 (2) V of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963.

Activist and artist Dinesh Holla said, “It is sad that it has taken nearly a month for the administration to notice the violations …officials just ignored our protest …..”

Another activist Dinesh Pai said officials took considerable time in giving information about the project.With some documents in hand, Mr. Pai said they were getting ready to approach the local court for violations of Karnataka Park, Play-Fields and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act 1985 by Mangaluru Urban Development Authority, which is executing the musical fountain work.

“The threat of legal proceedings might have made the Deputy Commissioner to take note of the violations,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Mangaluru City Corporation Roopa D. Bangera too had raised her voice recently against construction of stalls inside the Musical Fountain Park.

Ms. Bangera had said besides defeating the very purpose of the park, the constructions would be an impediment to widen the Kadri Park Road in the future.