BARNALA: In a PIL filed by advocate H C Arora, the Punjab and Haryana high court has directed Punjab to take a decision with due application of mind, on the demand notice of July 19 wherein the petitioner had stated that the road between Kahneke village and Rureke Kalan in Barnala district, which is 10 feet wide, is being widened to 18 feet (four feet on either side).
In fact, the road is 27 feet wide, including kutcha portion. Approximately 900 grown up trees are standing on either side of the road on the extreme corners of the road, after gap of 4.5 feet each, beyond proposed 18 feet width of this link road.
It was alleged by the petitioner that the PWD (B&R), through its contractor, is planning to axe these 900 trees, although these trees do not stand in the way of vehicular traffic, even if the road is widened to 18 feet from existing 10 feet width.
Taking the matter seriously, the HC bench directed the respondents that demand notice submitted by petitioner on July 19 against cutting of trees be first decided.
It was made clear by the HC that no trees shall be cut till the decision of demand notice, in any case, if some trees may be coming within the proposed widened road of 18 feet width, it may be considered to modify the road widening plan, so as to save the trees.
