India, May 18 -- By Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.G. Vombatkere

Politicians and bureaucrats view city development as constructing flyovers and widening roads. In the context of citizens' objections to the felling of 561 trees for National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in and around Mysuru, our MP stated that these proposed development works "will go ahead while protecting the environment."

That is, flyovers and road-widening will be done anyway and the environment can be protected by retaining as many trees as possible and translocating trees that interfere with the works. Environmental ill-effects are collateral damage.

It leads to the question: Who benefits from flyovers and road-widening and who loses from damage to the environm...