Safeguard trees, save environment |
What difference it will make to the environment if trees are felled for constructing roads! This is a notion nurtured surprisingly by authorities to undertake works for so-called development. The difference between felling trees for development is destruction!
It takes decades for a Chinar tree to grow and a day to destroy it! It was evident when a mighty Chinar tree was recently felled to pave way for road widening in Kralgund area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Another case surfaced during axing of mulberry trees at Rawalpora canal road for widening without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). These cases of environmental vandalisation reflect lack of planning to strike balance between development and environment.
How ruthlessly centuries old chinar trees are being felled seriously raises questions on the government’s policy of environmental conservation. Unplanned development are gradually killing Chinars.
The majestic tree flourished during the Mughal rule in Kashmir. Dogra rulers ensured conservation of Chinar by imposing blanket ban on its felling. However successive regimes failed to take measures for preserving Chinars. In the race for road expansions, Chinars have been bearing the brunt in Kashmir. Around 75 Chinar trees were felled along the Srinagar-Qazigund Expressway during execution of the project. Authorities measured the loss of Chinars through monetary means and collected Rs 28.17 lakh by selling........