U.P.: In Prayagraj, many ensuring development sans chopping trees

Many Sangam city individuals and organisations are setting examples of moving ahead with development but without cutting down old trees

With a view to protecting trees and thereby the environment, many Sangam city individuals and organisations are setting examples of moving ahead with development but without cutting down old trees.

Workers making space in the roof to adjust a tree trunk and branches at Kali Ma temple at Chauphatka in Prayagraj. (HT photo)

They have gone the extra mile to avoid cutting the trees that either went right through the middle of the roofs of respective buildings or were planted where construction works were to take place.

In one such example, chief priest of the ‘Maa Kali temple’ in Chauphataka locality faced a typical problem. He noticed that the fast-expanding strong branches of the banyan tree, which is located right in the middle of the temple premises, and a part of its trunk were damaging the roof of the temple.

Priest Ram Adhaar Pandey, however, decided that rather than chopping or trimming the tree, part of the temple roof would be removed in such a way that it accommodates the tree trunk and its branches.

“Cutting down a green tree would have been a ‘Paap’ (sin) for us in these times of rising pollution and so we decided to dismantle a part of the concrete roof in a circular pattern so that the tree could remain unharmed for the next 30-50 years,” said Pandey.

Similarly, authorities of Railway Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) recently adjusted their office building in such a way that none of the trees located at the site allotted to the agency near Shastri Bridge were cut. The same agency in 2021 had even uprooted a huge 50-year-old “Peepal” tree from the site which was hindering the piling of one of the pillars of the new bridge and had transported and replanted it at a nearby ashram. “The tree is still healthy and growing,” said Vinay Kumar Agarwal, project director, RVNL.

Equally laudable are the efforts of Shri Satya Seva Samiti, Jhunsi, Prayagraj, which decided to not cut down a huge “Peepal” tree that was located at a piece of land on which the new building of the Samiti was to be constructed.

“The Samiti decided to design and construct the building in such a way that the tree goes right through the roof of the building. We have made special arrangements so that the tree does not damage the building and itself remains healthy and growing”, said ICT coordinator of the samiti Anoop Singh.