Assam: Allow PWD a few days to explore an alternative, urges CM on tree felling

PWD to submit modalities within a week

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Amid protests by Guwahati citizens against the government’s plan to cut some 200-year-old trees in the city, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged all stakeholders to allow the PWD (Public Works Department) a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility.

The moot point is: what prevented the PWD to take such measures before starting the construction of the flyover from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati in Guwahati? Responding to an RTI application, the PWD said that the flyover would impact 21 trees—some would be uprooted, and the branches would be pruned in some others near Dighalupukhuri. Thousands of trees were felled in the state in the past few years in the construction and expansions of highways, let alone the trees set to be felled near Dighalipukhuri.

Following an instruction from the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota chaired a meeting with senior PWD officials to discuss possible alternatives for the upcoming GNB Flyover in order to avoid West and East Dighalipukhuri Road. PWD will submit its report within a week with the proposed modalities. Instructions have been issued to PWD to prepare a draft traffic flow to ensure the flyover ends on GNB Road itself or any other alternative road to avoid cutting of heritage trees in the Dighalipukhuri area.      

According to rules, the developers need to plant four trees near or elsewhere for each tree felled for any infrastructure development work like roads, bridges, flyovers, etc. For instance, the developers felled 7,125 trees for the expansion of National Highway 17 from Guwahati to Goalpara. However, the authority concerned planted only 784 saplings as compensation.

According to sources, for any development work, the developers have to fell trees when they have no option left with them. However, where there are options to save trees in such projects, the developers have the habit of felling trees as the options left with them are not cost-effective. Many other states follow the practice of transplanting trees where possible while going ahead with developmental projects.

Several protesters took to the streets on Tuesday against the government’s plan to fell some 200-year-old trees. So much so that the students of Cotton College had to squat throughout last night near Dighalipukhuri to prevent the PWD from felling the trees.

After this development, the Chief Minister assured all stakeholders that the government would remain deeply committed to preserving the city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure. In constructing the flyover from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati, the government is sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area, he said. “I urge all stakeholders to allow PWD a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility,” he said.

Also Read: Assam: Guwahati city residents protest tree felling; urge sustainable development

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