Admn finalises plan to remove 545 trees

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 11

The UT Administration has finalised the plan for the removal of around 545 trees coming in the way of the Tribune flyover. Sources said the plan was finalised at a high-level meeting, chaired by UT Adviser Manoj Kumar Parida, who directed the officials concerned to ensure that the minimum possible number of trees are axed for the flyover.

Sources said as per the plan, of the total 545 trees coming in the way of the flyover, 400 will be axed, while the Administration will replant at least 145 trees.

The Administration has decided to use the services of city environmentalist Rahul Mahajan, who has offered to replant all trees free of cost. Mahajan will carry out replantation, while all necessary infrastructure such as JCB machines will be provided by the Administration.

Mahajan has successfully replanted over 100 trees so far in the city and nearby areas. Initially, the Administration had planned to seek the  help of experts from Vietnam for the  replantaion of the  trees,  but the plan was  dropped. A number of mango and kikar trees on Dakshin Marg in the Industrial Area, Phase I and II, are coming in the way of the flyover. Many  residents   are  opposing  the felling of the  trees. The issue has reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Residents said felling of these trees  would  cause irreparable harm to the environment. 

Environmentalists argue that these trees are not only adding to the green cover, but also checking pollution caused by heavy traffic on Dakshin Marg and the surrounding Industrial Area. The Administration has already  started a drive to  plant at least six trees in lieu of every tree uprooted during the execution of the Tribune flyover project.