Assam: Lack of coordination between departments fuels unplanned tree felling along roadside in Kokrajhar town

KOKRAJHAR: Massive destruction of forests, cutting of trees and encroachments in reserve forests are fast contributing to global warming and climate change worldwide which is the greatest challenge for all nations in the world. Even though the area's residents have experienced erratic rains, intense heat waves, droughts, a lack of drinking water, massive landslides, a drop in ground water levels, soil erosion, and other natural disasters, some areas of Kokrajhar are still seeing tree cutting and forest destruction.

In Kokrajhar, cutting down of natural trees along the roadside for different reasons gets no opposition from any quarter. In Kokrajhar town, the electricity department often cut down the branches of roadside trees especially during April-May for the safety of the electricity wires for uninterrupted power supply but on many occasions, the workers cut down the trees without obtaining prior authorization. But no citizens are seen asking or opposing the cutting of trees on the roadside. This year too, many trees of Kokrajhar-Bahalpur road had been cut down instead of branches for either placing of new poles and passing of wires or for safety measures but re-plantation is seen to be rare.

An official of Forest department of BTC told this correspondent, that cutting down roadside trees on the state highways without proper authorization could indeed be considered an offence and many jurisdictions have regulations in place to protect the roadside trees because they provide important environmental benefits, such as reducing air pollution, providing habitat for wildlife, and preventing erosion. Additionally, cutting down trees without permission can also be seen as damaging public property or interfering with the aesthetics and safety of the highway. Penalties for unauthorized tree cutting can vary depending on local laws and regulations, but they may include fines, restoration requirements, or even criminal charges in severe cases. He said to cut the trees or its branches for safety of live power lines, the electricity department or any other department carrying out constructions should obtain prior permission from the department concerned but, on many occasions, they cut down the trees without obtaining permission which is an offence. He also said there had been lack of coordination between the departments of PWD, Electricity, Forest, PHED, BSNL etc. for which most of the trees were cut down due to unplanned development activities.

The roadside trees play a crucial role in enhancing the aesthetics, safety, and environmental sustainability of state highways. Trees act as natural air purifiers by absorbing harmful pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter from vehicle emissions. They also release oxygen into the atmosphere, contributing to cleaner air and better respiratory health for nearby communities.

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