Trees axed for building street, villagers raise concern

Fully grown trees have been axed at Avtar Nagar in New Rajguru Nagar village for installation of interlocking tiles. With green cover already decreasing in the city, making way for concrete structures, area residents have raised serious concern over the cutting of trees. A complaint has also been shot in this regard to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

“Installing interlocking tiles is a sign of development, but amid this environment should not be ignored. One meter area around trees should be left so that these can breathe and water can be soaked in, but surprisingly, trees have been chopped in the name of development,” said Dr Harpreet Singh, an area resident.

He further added that trees on village streets are the property of the panchayat. The trees, which had commercial value in thousands, have been cut and timber has been used or sold. A formal inquiry should be marked and action should be taken as per law.

“End-to-end streets should not be made as it will hamper rainwater harvesting. Rainwater cannot be discharged in a sewerage hole. If streets are made from edge to edge, where will the rainwater go? Making the road concrete from edge to edge is against environmental norms and maintaining green belt along the streets and roads is also compulsory,” added another area resident.

Dr Harpreet further added that he had grown plants along the wall of his house which had been cut without any written intimation to him. “Environmental clearance should have been obtained from the government departments concerned to construct the street by removing the green belt.

Nikhil Sharma, sarpanch of New Rajguru Nagar village, when contacted in this regard said that the trees were chopped by the PSPCL for installing overhead cables before he had taken over as sarpanch and the work for installation of interlocking tiles was also going on as the streets were in dire need of repair. Only few rose shrubs were shredded and no other tree was cut on my order,” he claimed.