The clearance of sandalwood trees grown on land at Haliyur in Tarikere taluk, acquired for the NH-206, began on February 9, amidst protests by the grower.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A sandalwood farmer from Chikkamagaluru, T.N. Vishu Kumar, allegedly severed branches of a sandalwood tree near Vidhana Soudha on February 10 in protest against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The NHAI began clearing sandalwood trees cultivated by Mr. Kumar at Haliyur in Tarikere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district on February 9. The authority has acquired four acres of land in the village for National Highway 206 (Shivamogga–Tumakuru).
On February 9, Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) Siddalinga Reddy, Assistant Commissioner of Tarikere N. V. Natesh, and other staff members arrived at the site along with workers to clear the trees. Mr. Kumar protested against the tree cutting.
The following day, Mr. Kumar arrived in Bengaluru and cut branches of a sandalwood tree near Vidhana Soudha to draw the government’s attention. Soon after, the Vidhana Soudha police detained Mr. Kumar and seized the machete. Recently, Mr. Kumar had threatened to end his life as a form of protest in Chikkamagaluru.
A senior police officer from the central division told The Hindu that he would be booked under the Karnataka Forest Act for cutting branches.
‘They killed my trees’
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Kumar said, “They have killed my trees, which I have guarded for 14 years. When they can sever my trees, why shouldn’t I?”
Mr. Kumar said the NHAI notification requires the cutting of 2,148 trees on his farm. He alleged that the NHAI cut 42 trees on February 9 and severed branches of more than 100 trees on Tuesday. “They have taken away my trees without informing me,” he claimed.
According to Mr. Kumar, the NHAI is offering a total compensation of ₹1.25 crore, while the value of the trees exceeds ₹100 crore. “They are not compensating me fairly. I will not leave Bengaluru until I get justice,” he told The Hindu.
NHAI stance
The preliminary notification for the acquisition of land was issued in 2016, and the final notification was issued in 2017. The compensation was awarded for the land, sandalwood trees and other trees at different stages. However, farmers, including Mr. Kumar, a resident of Haliyur, moved court seeking higher compensation.
Mr. Reddy, the SLAO, told the media that as per the court’s direction, compensation for each tree had been fixed at ₹25,908. “For four acres of land acquired in the village, we have granted the total award of ₹3.25 crore. Of that, farmers have received ₹1.08 crore so far, while the others refused to take the amount by submitting their records. We have deposited the remaining amount with the district court in Chikkamagaluru,” he said.
N.V. Natesh, Assistant Commissioner of Tarikere, told The Hindu that the clearance of the trees began on February 9 and it would continue for a few more days. “As per the court orders, the trees are being cleared,” he stated.
In Karnataka, while there is a huge demand for sandalwood, only 30% of it is met, and the rest is being imported from Australia. Government officials say that farmers are reluctant to grow sandalwood in India, as it is vulnerable to theft.
Published – February 10, 2026 11:17 pm IST
