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Rajasthan Desert Uprising: Khejri Trees Face Axe
7 Feb
Summary
- Mass sit-in in Bikaner against khejri tree felling enters fifth day.
- Protesters allege thousands of trees felled for solar and infrastructure projects.
- Activists demand a specific law to protect the state tree and its ecosystem.
A significant protest, known as a mahapadav, commenced in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and has now entered its fifth day. This mass sit-in is a response to the widespread felling of khejri trees, the state's official tree. The protest has evolved into a regional environmental movement across the western districts of Rajasthan.
Participants, including women, children, farmers, and elders, are actively demonstrating. They are demanding an immediate and complete prohibition on the cutting of khejri trees. Slogans emphasizing the desert's survival and the future of generations are resonating at the protest site.
Activists have extended a call for statewide solidarity, urging people to either travel to Bikaner or initiate similar sit-ins in their own districts. This coordinated action aims to intensify pressure on the state government. The issue is reported to affect the entire desert belt, encompassing Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Pali, Jalore, Phalodi, Sriganganagar, and Churu.
