STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Tree felling for one or another reason is rampant in Assam. And the latest felling of trees in the state is inside the Assam Legislative Assembly premises under the cover of darkness. The engineers of the state also seem to make the minimum efforts to minimize the felling of trees while making designs for projects and roads. The norm set by the Central Government to plant saplings against the felling of trees under the ‘compensatory afforestation programme has no takers in the state.
The felling of trees, including a few very old ones, on the premises of the Assam Legislative Assembly is quite out of sync with the avowed government policy of conservation of the environment and tackling climate change issues. Even a ruling party MLA, Mrinal Saikia, has expressed his displeasure at the development.
The State Assembly Secretariat decided to demolish the age-old Assam-type MLA quarters to erect apartments at the site for MLAs, besides parks and other facilities.
After the completion of around 50 percent of the under-construction flyover at the Zoo Tiniali, several trees had to be felled for its realignment. The moot question is: Why did not the engineer take this into account at the time of the design?
Over one lakh trees had been felled on either side of NH-37 during its widening from Nagaon to Dibrugarh. Who has the statistics on the number of saplings planted under the ‘compensatory afforestation programme against the felled trees? According to sources, it is estimated that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for up to four people.
For the past few days, a contractor has started felling the trees, including a few very old ones standing erect near the demolished quarters. The felled trees also included a few trees that had been grown before the shifting of the state capital to the spot from Shillong in 1972. A few people who witnessed the tree felling were murmuring over it, which came to the fore when MLA Saikia saw the tree felling activities last night and twitted. The tweet goes as follows: “The silent invasion—in MLA Hostel Campus, cutting trees under the cover of darkness as ordered by some Singh to build a park (as I’m told). #savetrees @CMOfficeAssam.”
Talking to the media this morning, MLA Saikia expressed his concern over the tree felling and said, “I never support tree felling, whoever or wherever. Tree felling is the last resort when it is indispensible, mainly for the expansion of roads. Our engineers should find ways to construct roads and buildings without felling trees. Instead of saving trees, our engineers cut down trees to straighten roads. The planting of a new sapling cannot compensate for the loss of a 50-year-old tree. The air quality in Guwahati has deteriorated recently due to scanty rainfall, a heat wave, dust, etc. The Forest Department needs to look into the matter. In fact, the Assembly Campus needs a micro-wildlife sanctuary as the complex is near Dispur and Ganeshguri.”
As per rules, permission from the Forest Department is a prerequisite for the felling of trees for any purpose. If the contractor felling trees in the Assembly campus has got permission from the Forest Department for trees is not known.
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