Residents question axing of trees at Baradari Gardens

Tribune News Service

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, March 19

Residents of Yadavindra Colony here today raised questions over the alleged illegal axing of trees at Baradari Gardens on Sunday.

While officials of the Horticulture Department said they were verifying the facts, residents pointed out that a number of trees at Baradari Gardens had been axed during the daytime on Sunday.

Residents said officials of some government department had reached the site to axe the trees. “The power supply in the area was also cut to carry out the work. Not one, but a number of trees were axed and pruned,” a resident of the colony said.

Another resident said many trees at Baradari Gardens were over 100 years old. “Some of the trees are very old and are a house to birds and other wildlife. They cannot be cut without the supervision of the officials of the Horticulture Department. The government department aiming to carry out such work should first seek permission from the department concerned for the process,” he said.

Officials at the Horticulture Department said the office was looking into the matter. Narinder Singh Mann, Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, said, “We have sent a team to the site to look into the allegations. He said a government department had earlier sought permission from the office to carry out the axing work. “We had not issued any permission. We will look into whether any trees have been cut in violation of norms,” he said.