The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order, has directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, Chief of Forest Force, Punjab, to research the alleged unlawful felling of bushes in Sangrur metropolis and take remedial motion on the earliest.
A bench of the Green Tribunal handed the order after listening to a petition by metropolis resident Jasinder Sekhon, who filed an software towards the Punjab authorities alleging that bushes have been being minimize in Sangrur with none authorized sanction. .
Sekhon mentioned in his software that the Punjab Construction Department (PWD) of Punjab and the Municipal Council of Sangrur have positioned bushes on the highway between Kali Mata Temple from Fuura Chowk (now referred to as Valmiki Chowk) to ‘due means of regulation’. Was minimize off ‘with out obeying.
“… the application is disposed off … with instructions to the Chief Conservator of Punjab, Chief of Forest Force to look into the matter and ensure remedial action against illegal felling of trees …,” the order reads .
Residents of Sangrur have been opposing the chopping of bushes by the PWD for the highway widening undertaking for months. The protesting residents have claimed that the totally grown bushes have been minimize down even after they weren’t obstructing the highway undertaking.
On 14 March, the residents of Sangrur additionally gathered on the place the place the bushes have been minimize down they usually stored a minute’s silence in protest towards the ‘cruel bloodbath’ of the bushes.
Sekhon claimed in his petition that just lately, PWD had minimize 27 totally grown bushes on the Kali Devi Temple Road, together with greater than 300 different bushes in numerous locations prior to now three years in the identical method within the metropolis of Sangrur. Was. However, the authorities have failed to supply any legitimate justification for this.
At least 27 totally grown bushes have been minimize down on the Kali Devi temple route in Sangrur. All these bushes have been a minimum of 35–40 years previous and totally grown. The PWD didn’t search any permission for this nor did they supply any legitimate justification for his or her actions, ”mentioned Sekhon.
Sangrur, as soon as referred to as the ‘metropolis of gardens’, was recognized for its lush inexperienced cowl and was constructed on the traces of Jaipur by the then Maharaja of Jind. It is heartbreaking to see the previous bushes of town being ruthlessly pruned within the title of highway widening tasks. Sangrur is being reworked into concrete forest and there’s no sensitivity to the atmosphere, ”mentioned Sekhon.
The protesters additional mentioned that it had been three years since they have been struggling to avoid wasting the inexperienced cowl of town.
“Trees are being pruned without following proper procedures or without any valid justification. The PWD has occupied the city streets for 3 years and destruction is being carried out in the name of development, ”mentioned Hardarshan Kaur Grewal, one of many protesters.
“In the past too, there was a fight by residents to go to the NGT and save the heritage trees on the telephone exchange roads,” Sekhon mentioned.
PWD Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Ajay Garg confirmed that 27 bushes on the Kali Devi temple highway have been minimize down for the highway widening undertaking, whereas the bushes have been minimize after acquiring all the required permission. “This was done because there was no other way. After those 27 trees, not a single tree has been cut on that road. All these allegations are baseless, ”he mentioned.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
