Noida authority fells 30 trees on World Environment Day
The Noida authority is building a flyover at the Parthala traffic intersection on the Noida-Greater Noida (West) link road. The trees stood where the authority plans to build a divider, said officials
The Noida authority felled at least 30 fully-grown neem trees along the Noida-Greater Noida link road on World Environment Day, angering residents. Residents have alleged that the authority did not follow due procedure before cutting down the trees.
However, the authority’s horticulture department said that permission was taken to cut the trees and transplant them later to make way for construction work of a flyover.
The Noida authority is building a flyover at the Parthala traffic intersection on the Noida-Greater Noida (West) link road. The trees stood where the authority plans to build a divider, said officials.
“The authority claims that they will replant the trees. But they have cut these 30-feet-talltrees down to the roots. If replanted, there is no way these trees will survive. This mindless act, perpetrated on World Environment Day, shows how serious they are about protecting the ecology,” said Amit Gupta, a member of Progressive Community Foundation, a social group of citizens. “If there was an urgency, they could have delayed the tree felling till July, when it rains. It would have been easier to relocate these fully-grown trees then,” said Sanwarjeet Singh, a Sector 79 citizen, who filed a complaint.
According to Akash Vashishtha, an environmentalist, the methodology adopted to transplant the trees is faulty, and they will not survive.
“There should be an expert committee and an Uttar Pradesh tree transplantation policy to oversee such procedures in the future. We have been demanding that modern technology be used to transplant trees to ensure their survival. Relocating trees in an unplanned manner just kills them,” Vashishtha added.
The authority said that it will transplant the trees in the nearby green belt. “We sought and received permission from the forest department for the procedure. If any tree gets killed, we will plant fresh trees as compensation,” said Indu Singh, officer on special duty, Noida authority. “We gave permission on the condition that the authority will save these trees. Survival is low in cases of transplantation,” said PK Srivastava, division forest officer.