Activist hits out Orissa Govt over tree felling

By Anurjay Dhal

BHUBANESWAR: Centre for Rural Development and Research on Monday strongly criticize Orissa Government for cutting tress in State Capital for the expansion of roads. CFRDR executive director Padmaja Debata in a press statement alleged that around 600 trees have been felled in the city but the Government did not take any step to preserve Carbon.

It was very unfortunate fact that instead plantation drive, the Government falling tress for road expansion, Debata added.The officials should follow the practice that is being implemented in cities like Bangalore and Pune, where they had made some alternative arrangements to preserve Carbon, she said.The trees falling from Master Canteen-Vani Vihar road could be disastrous for the city residents as well as the commuters, she stated.

Few months back, Works Department had cut down 173 trees to make space for construction of ambitious flyover at busy Rajmahal Square. However, trees were felled reportedly without any concrete plan on compensating the vegetation.

During widening of roads from Airport to Infocity and current development of eight-lane road between Sainik School and Acharya Vihar, huge plants were uprooted. Many decades-old trees were chopped down along Cuttack-Puri road a few months ago, she added.“We don’t know where the State Government has identified alternative locations to plant trees to compensate the loss,” she added. Even the capital city did not have a definite environment plan, she alleged.