Five trees axed in Sangrur; forest dept orders probe

The trees stood on the banks of the Rajwaha canal in Dhuri town; residents and activists have cried foul.

SANGRUR The state forest department has ordered a probe into axing of five trees, standing on the banks of the Rajwaha canal in Dhuri town on Saturday, in the dead of the night.

The trees were axed with the help of a cutter in the dead of the night. (HT Photo)

Ajay Kumar, councillor from ward number 8, said the felling was illegal. “We have filed a complaint with the police as the forest department is repeatedly failing to stop such illegal axing of trees. Two trees were axed two months ago as well in the same clandestine manner,” he claimed.

“This time, the trees were axed with the help of a cutter, but the miscreants left these on the site itself. They also tried to cut a big tree, but failed,” Kumar added.

Sangrur divisional forest officer (DFO) Khushwinder Singh admitted that five trees had been axed by unidentified miscreants. “A probe has been ordered and the department will act, based on its findings,” he added.

SANGRUR RESIDENTS CONTRIBUTE 

Locals and environmentalists have collected ₹1.1 lakh to plant saplings from the Sangrur bus stand to the Shahi Samadhan road. Jasinder Kaur Sekhon, an environmentalist, said the public works department had axed 66 trees to widen the road. but had not planted new trees.

“We collected funds and planted three trees with guards for it as well, on the road. We aim to plant over a hundred trees on the same road with guards,” she added.