The Hindu 15.04.2010
Civic officials chop 24 trees mercilessly
Staff Reporter
| The trees were located on the perimeter of the helipad adjoining the State Secretariat |
PHOTO: P. V. SIVAKUMAR 
UNFORTUNATE:Trees chopped by GHMC near the Secretariat on Wednesday.
HYDERABAD: Overnight on Tuesday, 24 trees were mercilessly chopped down by the GHMC authorities triggering vociferous protests from environmentalist community and civil society groups.
Located on the perimeter of the helipad adjoining the State Secretariat, the trees, mostly Peltophorums, were reportedly cut down owing to security reasons although there was no official word on the same. Branches of four neem trees surrounding a small temple inside the helipad complex were also axed in the process. According to one highly placed official, most of the trees were planted around 8-10 years ago.
This is in violation of Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA) GO 539 and an internal circular by the GHMC Commissioner that prohibit felling of any trees, said M. Vedakumar of Forum for Better Hyderabad.
According to WALTA, permission has to be sought from the Forest Department to fell any tree in the city and nobody, GHMC included, is authorised to take arbitrary decisions.
Case to be booked?
The latest incident does not seem to have gone down well with the department officials who are planning to book a case and “look at the circumstances under which the trees were cut,” according to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) P.V. Raja Rao. “They should have taken permission before cutting the trees. We will write to them and conduct an enquiry,” he told The Hindu.
Environmental activists were naturally upset.
“Why did they cut the trees without taking permission of the Tree Protection Committee?” Mr. Kumar asked referring to an earlier instance when permission was sought from the committee to fell trees near St. Ann’s High School in Secunderabad.
The tree protection committee is a body of government officials and concerned citizens constituted by government to save trees in the twin cities. Incidentally, it is headed by the DFO.
Civil Society groups lost no opportunity in bringing to the fore lack of coordination among various government departments and bodies.
The indiscriminate tree-felling was also not well-received by some government officials too.
“This is a heinous crime and not at all warranted. Everywhere trees are being ruthlessly cut,” remarked a senior government official who undertook a massive tree translocation exercise sometime back. “This is the season when trees are most useful as they keep the atmosphere cool. This is unfortunate,” said an official in the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests.
Civil Society groups have demanded translocation of the pollarding to a location inside the Secretariat and compensatory plantation of ten native species trees for every tree felled besides action on those behind the decision.
