Bhopal: CM says NO to tree felling for road in Bagsewania

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday instructed PWD officials not to cut 20 years old Peepal and Banyan trees for constructing a road in Bagsewania area. PWD teams were to cut the two trees situated behind Vishwakarma temple as they were coming in the way of road construction.

The Chief minister’s direction came on the day when the locals protesting the felling of the trees had formed a human chain. The chief minister, appreciating the efforts of the residents, asked them to continue their campaign for tree protection and conservation. He also urged them to plant a sapling daily.

Earlier, the locals had threatened to move the Supreme Court if the Peepal and Banyan trees that were standing tall for decades were chopped off in the name of road construction.

Residents took the plea that the apex court has also clarified that roads might be diverted but trees should not be chopped off if trees are coming in the way of road construction.

An activist, Uma Shankar Tiwari, said, “CM has taken the right decision instructing PWD officials not to cut 20-year-old trees. But the PWD team had already dug around the trees and so the department teams should now fill the pit with soil to save the trees. SC has already given instructions in 2020 not to cut trees.” Quoting the court ruling, he said that in 2020, the then Chief Justice of India had asked, 'Why can't the road take a turn around the tree?

“The then CJI SA Bobde while hearing an application filed by UP Government for cutting trees for the Krishna Goverdhan road project in Mathura, said, 'You can't fell thousands of trees in the name of Krishna Project,” said the activist.