NAGPUR: In a violation of procedures, the public works department (PWD), Wardha, felled 29 trees on Sewagram-Wardha Road adjoining Bapu Kuti sometime in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The trees were felled under police protection.
“The secretive felling of trees raises concerns about the undemocratic functioning of PWD, and comes as a painful reminder of the illegal felling of several trees in Sewagram last year. The trees have been cut despite continuous opposition by Vriksha Bachao Nagrik Samiti (VBNS), which has communicated its concerns and appeals constantly to the collectorate office and PWD about safe road construction without damaging the trees,” said ecologist Alok Bang.
“Felling of trees in the dead of the night is unethical as thousands of birds take shelter on these trees. Many bird nests must have been destroyed and where must have these birds gone at night, as most of the avians are diurnal,” said Bang.
In its last meeting on July 26, with district collector Prerana Deshbhratar, executive engineer PN Boob and civil society representatives who are demanding tree cutting to avoid accidents, it was decided that VBNS and PWD will conduct a joint survey of the road to ascertain the number of trees that must be cut to maintain road safety.
“The decision to cut the trees was to be taken only after consensus of both parties and consent of VBNS. Moreover, as per the collector’s mandate, any cutting of trees was to be first preceded by tree transplantation. Boob had himself promised that any tree would be felled only after planting 10 times the number of trees to be cut as replacement. None of these promises have been fulfilled,” said Sushma Sharma of VBNS.
The constant appeal by VBNS to protect these heritage trees had earlier reached three generations of the Gandhi family, who pleaded collectively to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to protect the trees in Sewagram. The chief minister’s office constituted a committee, which promised that trees will be saved. Yet, in the past few months, Wardha has witnessed mindless construction plans by the PWD, which has endangered the safety of trees and passers-by.
“While the PWD has tried to portray VBNS as an irrational group, we would like to clarify that it has constantly attempted to communicate with them regarding road safety, and hoped to reach a solution that honours development, ecology, as well as human lives,” said Dr Anupama Gupta.
On Sunday, when VBNS approached Sewagram police to register an FIR in tree felling case, they refused, citing that the case is concerned with government land and the government does not require permission from anyone to cut trees. The police accepted the application with a verbal promise that due investigations will be done.
However, police doublespeak has been exposed, as they knew about the tree felling plan on July 31 morning. The plan was executed with police support by blocking the road on Saturday night, said sources.
