Row over axing of trees in Faridkot

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Faridkot, September 25

The management of a group of educational institutions came under attack for allegedly axing many trees, planted alongside the Faridkot-Talwandi Bhai road here.

What angered the residents was the fact that the trees were axed when the NGO that had planted these was being honoured on the occasion of annual Baba Farid festival here for its endeavour to grow thousands of trees in the town.

The Society for Ecological and Environmental Resources (SEER), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), having a network of over 100 members in the town, is known not only for planting, but also nurturing and growing thousands of trees in almost all parts of Faridkot town and its peripheral area in the past over 20 years.

After the conclusion of the award ceremony, NGO members rushed to the spot where dozens of trees were

being chopped.

“At the time when SEER was being bestowed with an award for its over 20 years of work to make Faridkot a ‘green town’, the axing of trees is an insult to us,” said Sandeep Arora, the founder-member of SEER.

In a complaint to the police, district authorities and the Forest Department, SEER member Shankar Sharma alleged that when the NGO’s members reached the spot to stop the axing of the trees, they were manhandled and insulted by employees of the management.

No prior permission had been taken before cutting the trees, alleged SEER members.

However, a senior functionary of the society, which operates many education institutes in the area, claimed that the trees were on their private property. The district administration has constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter.

Faridkot locals upset

What angered the residents was the fact that the trees were axed when the NGO that had planted these was being honoured on the occasion of the annual Baba Farid festival for its endeavour of planting thousands of trees in the town