Protest against mindless cutting of trees

Team L&M

While the world was observing Earth Day and environmental discussions were taking place globally, the Horticulture Department of the Noida Authority was busy cutting trees in Sector 137 WITHOUT the permission from the Forest Department.

Greenman Vikrant Tongad has written to Noida Authority CEO, District Magistrate and District Forest Officer of Gautam Budh Nagar and Revenue Officer of the UP Pollution Control Board protesting the same.

“In total, 5 fully grown trees and more than 20 shrubs have been cut down. It has been mentioned that these trees are being cut down to make a U-turn. However, neither the Horticulture Department nor the Project Department of Noida Authority has any written orders or tenders for this construction work, nor any work orders. On what basis is this work being carried out using JCB and labour? Additionally, during construction work, NGT norms for dust control are not being followed, leading to dust pollution at the site,” asks Tongad, adding that staff members of the Project and Horticulture department have stated that that this construction work is being done on the orders of the CEO.

More importantly, there has been no need for a U-turn or road construction at the said site, and there has no demand either for it by the members of the public. “Even traffic volume is less here so as such no new construction or changes need to be made,” says Tongad.

Moreover, as per a 2019 order of UP Government, trees like Neem, Sal, Beeja Sal, Mango, Mahua, Arjun, Palash, Peepal, Banyan, Goolar, Pakad, Bel, Chiraunji, Khirni, Kaitha, tamarind, Jamun, asna, Kusum, Reetha, Bhilawa, Toon, Salai, Haldu, Bakli, Khair, Sheesham and Sagaon, cannot be cut without the written permission of the Government.

How the Neem trees from here got cut, is perplexing, to say the least!