Trees Felled For ‘MLA Houses’: Mahanadi Banchao Andolan Lodges Complaint To Initiate Probe

Bhubaneswar: Mahanadi Banchao Andolan lodged a complaint at Kharvelnagar police station after hundreds of trees were found chopped and stocked to make way for construction of high-rise apartment complexes for legislators at the existing MLA colony here on Monday.

Such an action led by Sudarshan Das, Convener of Mahanadi Banchao Abhiyan, came after the locals staged a sit-in demanding to stop cutting down the trees.

Activists feel that plantation measures should have been taken up before the commencement of the project.

“Even if the city DFO has assured that trees amounting to 10 times of the number of felled trees will be planted by the compensation money, we demand withdrawal of the decision,” Sudarshan Das said.

“How can such huge trees be cut down while the temperature in the capital is hovering around 48 degrees Celsius. Is the government planting trees to make green and beautiful Bhubaneswar,” asked Das.

So far, over 300 trees of different age and species like peepal, banyan, mango, jack fruit, neem, ashoka and deodar have already been axed and more of them are waiting for their turn.

If reports are to be believed over 800 trees, which are more than 60 to70 years old, will be felled to make way for the high-rise apartment complex. In total, 870 trees will be felled for which enumeration has already been completed in the project area at Unit IV, City Forest Division sources said.