Scores of trees faced the axe along the compound wall of police headquarters

The indiscriminate felling of trees has been continuing unabated in the city for laying of a drainage line. It has been eating into the trees in Warangal that already has scarce green cover.

The engineers of Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department, who have dug up the area on either side of the main road, maintained that they need not obtain permission from anyone to cut the trees. They further said that they were unaware of any law that prohibits them from cutting the trees.

Recently, scores of trees faced the axe along the compound wall of police headquarters at Hanamkonda. When it was brought to the notice of District Forest Officer Arpana Syal, she got the work stopped and demanded the officials to produce permits in their possession to cut down trees. However, the R&B officials failed to produce any permit as they had not applied for the same under Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act-2002. They were penalised and asked to pay a certain amount before they cut anymore trees. Despite the warning issued by the Forest Department to not cut trees without obtaining permission, the R&B engineers continue to cut trees inside the Public Gardens opposite Warangal police headquarters.

“Many trees that can be translocated are being mercilessly cut down. When we called on Divisional Engineer Srinivas, he was rude to us and said he did not need anyone’s permission to cut down the trees,” said P. Veerabhadra Rao, an advocate and RTI activist. Mr. Rao said they would approach the Green Tribunal with regard to the issue. “The State government has been encouraging people to plant more trees to save the environment and has launched Haritha Haram for the cause, but on the other hand, it is granting permission to cut down trees in the name of development,” he lamented. Several trees on the stretch between Ambedkar Statue and Petrol Pump Junction have been cut down by the Roads and Buildings Department to lay the drainage line. About 30 big trees that were at least 60 years of age were cut down, stripping the route of its greenery.

When contacted, Divisional Engineer M. Srinivas said they possess all the required permissions from the officials concerned, including District Collector. “The Collector has asked the Horticulture Department to transplant these trees, but it would cost ?25,000 to ?30,000 for each tree to be transplanted. We do not even have the special crane that is required to transplant the trees. Given this, we have no other option but to cut them. Trees are important, but humans need to live a decent life. When development is inevitable, we have to cut down trees,” he reasoned.

Vana Seva Society general secretary G. Naresh said as per the provisions of WALT Act-2002 and Act rules-2004, an applicant has to plant double the number trees felled and in case he/she fails to plant and raise required number of plants, the designated forest officer would raise the required number of plants at the cost of the applicant. A security deposit towards the cost of raising the required number of plants should also be demanded from the concerned, he explained, threatening to move the Green Tribunal.