Tree or road?, the perennial debate is heating up in Kottayam after 13 trees along the Good Shepherd Road near Logos Junction in Kottayam have been reduced to stumps. The Public Works Department (PWD) officials have felled the trees to make way for road development. The timing couldn't have been more perfect; sweltering summer when temperatures continue to break records in Kottayam.

What has intensified the debate is the fact that the Tree Protection Committee, supposed to authorise the felling of trees, was kept in the dark. “We have the authority to give permission to cut trees. The committee has not allowed anyone to chop the trees,” said Binu K, a committee member. 

Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forest Areas Rules lay down clear procedures for cutting, removal and disposal of specified trees standing in non-forest areas vested in local self-government institutions. The custodian of the areas shall submit an application to the Authorized Officer, who shall in turn refer the same to the Tree Protection Committee, which includes the Head of the Municipality, the Authorised Officer, representatives of NGOs and representative of the Department of Agriculture. 

Binu alleged that the Kottayam Municipality Secretary, who heads the Tree Committee, has not convened a meeting since December 2024. As the committee head, it is the secretary's responsibility to call meetings and decide on tree-felling applications. Previously, the Kottayam Tree Committee met on the second Tuesday of every month. However, no meetings have been convened since December.

Kottayam Municipality Secretary Anil Kumar B told Onmanorama that if the PWD had cut down trees for any of their emergency work, then they could seek permission from the tree committee later. "The permission can be ratified later in a tree committee meeting," he said.

However, an official with the Office of the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Social Forestry Division, Kottayam, said that ratification of tree-felling acts without filing an original application is not usual. "If any individual or organisation cuts down any trees without the permission of the Tree Committee in the land at the disposal of the government, legal action can be taken against them," he said. 

Meanwhile, PWD officials cut down the trees to make way for road development. “We only ordered to cut down the branches that hung onto the road. Not all trees were cut down from the area,” said an official. According to them, the trees obstructed their machinery, hindering the progress of road work. They explained that a 5.5-metre 'vertical clearance' was necessary for the work, while the trees, standing at 3.5 metres height, blocked the smooth passage of large trucks and containers.

“We cut down the trees under the orders of higher authorities. Only those trees that posed a danger to vehicles or were hanging too close to the roadside were felled,” another official told Onmanorama. They also denied allegations that every tree along the roadside was cut down. “We only trimmed the branches of some trees. Others were cut down because they had grown into the roadside. Meanwhile, a couple of trees were on the footpath, obstructing pedestrians.” 

Protesting the tree felling and the municipality's negligence, a collective of environmentalists organised a march last week demanding a fair investigation into the incident. The panel also asked the municipality to convene the Tree Committee meeting regularly. During the protest, Binu climbed on a tree and beat a drum in a symbolic gesture to drive away the cutters. Dr Sreekumar, another Tree Committee member, said the panel had filed a case at the Kottayam East Police Station.

The residents and traffic cops at the Logos Junction are the most affected by the tree cutting. The trees provided much-needed shelter for the officers, who spent the entire day in the scorching heat. “It's extremely difficult for us now. No man-made structure can replace the shade the trees once provided. What was the need for such destruction? We understand the need for development, but was it really necessary to cut down the entire row of trees, destroying our shelter,” a resident asked.