Felling of trees for PM visit triggers row Monday, 14 January 2019 | PNS | BALANGIR

Felling of trees for PM visit triggers row

Monday, 14 January 2019 | PNS | BALANGIR 

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Balangir on Tuesday, hundreds of trees have been cut down for creation of a helipad near the railway station in the town.

Following the hue and cry, the Balangir DFO on Sunday ordered for a probe into the matter.

As per the Forest Department, around 30,000 saplings had been planted in the town in 2015-16 and 2016-17 under the Urban Plantation programme at a cost of Rs 10 lakh. Out of the total saplings, 3,500 were planted near the railway station.

Balangir DFO Sameer Satpathy said nearly 1,000 to 1,200 trees have been felled to make a temporary helipad near the PM’s meeting venue.

“When our staffs tried to stop cutting of trees, the site in-charge said that there have been strict instructions from ‘higher authorities’ to make space for the helipad. The value of the trees which have been cut down would be nearly Rs 2.5 lakh,” Satpathy said.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party State president Rabi Behera has petitioned the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the felling of the trees.

In the petition, Behera said the PWD and the Railways felled 3,500 trees for construction of the helipad for the PM’s visit to Balangir without the permission of the Forest and Environment Department and the local administration.

He alleged that the action is illegal and detrimental to the local environment. He urged the NGT to inquire into the matter and punish the guilty officials.

However in reaction to the controversy, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said those who have become jittery due to the PM’s visit are spreading false propaganda through the DFO.

Pradhan said the local administration takes decision on where the PM’s helicopter would land. Is the DFO complaining against the district Collector and SP, he questioned.

The State Government had felled thousands of trees for a beer factory in Dhenkanal district sacrificing the interest of people. But alarmed with the PM’s visit, “these people” are spreading canards, Pradhan alleged.