Felling of trees for road upsets Mussoorie residents

Tribune News Service

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Mussoorie, March 15

Residents of Hathipaon are upset over the axing of more than 12 trees. They say these trees have been uprooted for a 2-km road at Lyndale Estate owned by DLF company. It is believed that it is the estate where Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra stay during vacation.

The residents had filed several complaints with the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) but no action had been taken so far. They later met Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt and submitted a memorandum to him. They requested Bhatt to get road construction work stopped and initiate action against the violators.

The residents said the road was being carved out through mountains, but the Forest Department was not taking action against the violators.

Bhatt assured the residents of taking up the matter with the higher authorities. He said on the one hand, the government was claiming to have curbed illegal mining and on the other, it was supporting those involved in the illegal road construction.

He said the residents could not raise even a temporary shelter, but the well-connected were doing things at their whims and fancies, defying the Supreme Court orders.

Sources said the road was being constructed to facilitate VIPs. The residents alleged that when they went to the DFO with the complaint, he tore the complaint letter saying nothing would happen to him as he had the support of political leaders. Bhatt said he would bring the matter to the notice of the National Green Tribunal.

Meanwhile, Mussoorie DFO Pandey refuted all charges saying no resident had come to him. He said the permission for felling of nine trees was given to the owner of the Lyndale Estate as per the guidelines under the Forest Act.

He said snowfall had damaged the trees and the road was being constructed at the old road, known as the old cart road, which was a part of the Lyndale property. The DFO said he had directed forest officials to look into the matter and take action if anomalies were found.