Proposal to Cut 7,540 Trees in Charmadi Ghat for NH 73 Widening Sparks Concern; Public Scrutiny Demanded

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Mangaluru : In a major environmental concern, a proposal to cut around 7,540 trees across 39 acres of reserve forest land for the widening of National Highway 73 in the Charmadi Ghat region has drawn sharp opposition. Environmental activist Vivek M from Mangaluru has submitted a formal representation to senior officials of both central and state forest departments, demanding that the proposal be subjected to thorough public scrutiny before any trees are felled.

In his petition, Vivek highlighted that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) in Karnataka had recommended Stage-I in-principle approval on September 10. However, the site inspection report by the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mangaluru Division, clearly notes that the proposed road passes through a sensitive tiger corridor and an active elephant movement zone. Despite these critical findings, wildlife clearance procedures have not been initiated, nor has a detailed mitigation plan been submitted to protect the local fauna.

The proposed highway extension traverses the Charmadi-Kanapadi Reserve Forest and a vital connecting area of the Kudremukh-Pushpagiri tiger corridor identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). This pristine region consists of dense tropical rainforests, deep valleys, and natural streams. Currently, the diversion proposal covers an 11.2 km stretch from Charmadi village in Dakshina Kannada up to the Chikmagalur border.

The petition also raised alarms over the project being executed in piecemeal packages rather than as a single comprehensive development. Environmentalists fear that expanding further towards Mudigere under separate packages will lead to additional forest fragmentation and unchecked tree clearing, causing irreversible damage to the fragile Western Ghats ecosystem.