Public oppose felling of 1,092 trees for road widening

Members of public have expressed their displeasure over the felling of 1,092 trees to widen the proposed state highway from Brahmavar to Petri, by Public Works Department (PWD), during a hearing.

The hearing was organised by Forest department.

People have opposed the felling of such a huge number of trees to facilitate the widening of seven kilometres of the road.

Deputy Conservator of Forest Kamala, who chaired the hearing, finally agreed for the amicable solution offered by the public who attended the hearing.

PWD Engineer Savita elaborated on the project and said that the felling of trees was essential to construct a full-fledged widened state highway in the area.

Environmentalist Premanand Kalmadi said that the felling of such a huge number of trees was tragic. There is no need to cut 1,092 trees, he added.

While Vinaychandra said that the survey done in the region to assess the number of trees to be felled was not fair.

All the gathered people unanimously demanded re-survey by including members of the public, along with PWD and forest department officials. All possibilities should be worked out to reduce the number of trees that needs to be cut.

After the re-survey, an accurate number of trees that needs to be felled should be counted, people demanded. The number of trees identified for cutting should be drastically brought down. Once the trees are felled, the departments, especially forest department, should take initiative to plant the saplings.

Former taluk panchayat president Nalini Pradeep Rao demanded that the trees should be relocated. The possibilities of relocating the trees should be explored.

Members of Aroor and Varamballi Gram Panchayats said that there was a need to develop the stretch as congestion had led to rise in accidents in the region.

Many heavy vehicles ply on the road. There are also schools on the stretch. Despite demanding widening of the stretch, the gram panchayat members requested not to fell 1,092 trees.

The participants also said that the environmental impact assessment study should be conducted as the region falls under rich coastal bio-diversity regions in the world.

Re-survey

After hearing all the demands and complaints, Kamala assured to conduct a re-survey, which would include members of the public.

She said that plans would also be chalked out to reduce the number of trees to be felled. “Measures will also be taken to plant the saplings. The possibility of replanting the trees will be looked into,” Kamala added.