Home / Environment / Activists Slam Illegal Tree Felling for Road Project
Activists Slam Illegal Tree Felling for Road Project
7 Sep
Summary
- Decades-old banyan trees and others illegally felled for road widening.
- Transplanted trees face slim survival chances due to unscientific methods.
- Conservationists demand transparency on tree plans and compensation.
Activists and environmentalists have raised serious concerns regarding the widening of Daulatabad Road, accusing the public works department of illegally cutting down decades-old banyan, neem, and tamarind trees. The road is currently being upgraded into a multi-lane highway, with numerous chopped trees visible along the stretch.
Conservationists allege that the methods used for transplanting selected banyan trees are unscientific, severely diminishing their chances of survival. They point to past failures in tree transplantation efforts on Paithan Road and Kranti Chowk as evidence. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about inadequate adherence to norms requiring project funds for green cover and compensatory plantation.
Activists are demanding full transparency regarding the tree transplantation strategy and compensatory afforestation efforts. They urge authorities to provide clear answers before irreversible damage is done to the local green cover. Despite repeated attempts, public works department officials have not yet commented on the allegations.
