Home / Environment / Dehradun Fights Tree Felling for Road Widening
Dehradun Fights Tree Felling for Road Widening
4 Jun
Summary
- Hundreds protested against felling over 700 trees for road expansion.
- Activists highlight ecological threat and hypocrisy of planting saplings.
- Heritage water mill and 200-year-old gharaat are also at risk.
In Dehradun, hundreds of residents and environmental activists protested the planned felling of over 700 trees. The trees are slated for removal to facilitate the widening of the Kimadi-Mussoorie route, a project that environmental groups argue threatens the valley's fragile ecosystem.
Activists from Paryavaran Bachao Andolan and Citizens for Green Doon expressed dismay over the government's approach, citing the irony of celebrating Environment Day while approving such destructive projects. They pointed to the existing environmental strains on Mussoorie due to overtourism.
The proposed road widening also endangers a rare, 150-200 year old heritage water mill, known as a gharaat, which represents a significant piece of Uttarakhand's cultural and ecological heritage. Locals also voiced concerns that the loss of green cover and increased concretization will exacerbate water scarcity in the region.
Assurances from authorities regarding tree transplantation were met with skepticism, citing past failures where transplanted trees did not survive. An online petition has been initiated to save the trees, urging authorities to finalize Mussoorie's carrying capacity before proceeding with road expansion projects.
