‘Illegal’ axing of fully-grown trees irks environmentalists

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, January 28

Axing of about two-decade old trees, fully grown trees outside the residence of a judicial officer, under the cover of dark here on Tuesday evening left many environmentalists disappointed.

The trees were axed after dusk. Around one dozen workers were put on the task to axe and remove the trees from the place in a hush-hush manner. When some environmentalists came to know of the ‘brazen’ axing of trees, without approval from a competent authority, they rushed to the spot. They were surprised to learn from nearby shopkeepers that some lower-rung officials of the district Forest Department supervised the work.

Members of the Society for Ecological and Environmental Resources (SEER), which is leading a campaign to plant trees for the past over two decades in Faridkot and its peripheral area, strongly objected to the act of axing fully-grown trees.

About two decades ago, the trees were planted and nurtured by the then Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Jagjit Singh Chauhan, and now, after his transfer, these were axed, which is both illegal and condemnable, they said. Chauhan is remembered in Faridkot for his love for trees and greenery. He had also planted trees in the District Complex here and nurtured these.

Pritam Singh, Block Forest Officer, feigned ignorance over the incident. These trees provided shade and habitat to birds in the summer season. These are a community amenity. No one has the right to axe these when grown on a public property, said members of the SEER.

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Fully-grown trees disposed off, after their axing in Faridkot on Tuesday. Tribune Photo

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