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HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court stops evil’s intent and saves the 244 Age-Old trees from the so-called development in Hyderabad. Well, at least for now. When the country is almost begging for Oxygen generators from all corners of the World amid a pandemic to save the citizens, Hyderabad in the name of development planned to cut down 244 trees of 286 trees for widening Gandipet-Shankarpally road in a stretch of 2.5 kilometres.
What could be the eviler-like act at this point in time? We must understand that you cannot do anything and everything in the name of development and the people have given you the authority to protect the nation, not to destroy it.
Vata Foundation came forward and requested authorities they will move the trees elsewhere and restore them if need be free of cost, which they have done earlier in many places even outside the state as well. Uday Krishna Pedireddi and his team Vata Foundation is a name to reckon with in the field of tree transport and restoration activity. But adamant authorities thought they can do anything as they wish to destroy the green and did not listen to that request.
IBG NEWS BANGLA raised the concern over the same earlier 24th March 2021 after the intimation from Hyderabad Corespondent. Please see the Bengali Report Here.
On December 3, 2020, authorities decided to fell 244 of 286 trees for widening Gandipet-Shankarpally road in a stretch of 2.5 kilometres
The Telangana High Court has directed the roads and buildings department not to further chop age-old trees as part of road widening from Gandipet to Shankarpally villages in Ranga Reddy district.
Instead, Justice Annireddy Abhishek Reddy told the Telangana state government and the Trees Protection Committee of the forest department to decide on the application by Vata Foundation, which has agreed to bear expenses for trans-locating 244 trees obstructing the road widening and planting them at alternate places.
Justice Reddy further ordered that authorities take the decision within one week and until then no further trees are to be chopped. A welcoming observation for the nature lovers.
The vacation court bench with Justice Abhishek Reddy was dealing with a petition filed by Vata Foundation founder trustee Uday Krishna Peddi Reddy, who had rushed to the court, as R&B department had started chopping the trees for road widening. The petitioner also pleaded that the foundation be given a chance to relocate the trees at its own expenses.
Senior counsel Chandrasen Reddy representing the petitioner foundation submitted that the forest and other department authorities are acting contrary to Telangana state’s flagship programmes like Haritha Haram and Green Challenge. When citizens have come forward to bear expenses for relocating the trees, authorities are giving scant regard to such an offer, Chandrasen Reddy submitted.
We also request honorable court not to leave the matter for the brainless officers of the department, who have already established that what the good is and need of the hour, they cannot understand. Moreover when such development has failed to plan environmental impact beforehand, why the cost of relocation should not be claimed from the department officers’ salary and set precedence to stop any such planning failure in the future at the cost of nature. Or even an attempt to murder charges equivalent to 244 murder should be imposed on such brainless officers and MLA, MLCs, and leaders of all stages of that area.
Because of this over greedy nature of the executive authorities, India has landed in such a pandemic situation, and decades of inefficiency in the name of the public health system has created this crisis at all levels.
We must act now to stop any crime against nature and restore the order of the Mother Nature.
Our request and appeal before The Telangana High Court and all judiciary systems across India kindly think and take strong standing order to save the trees and only allow cut down if translocation is not possible. People’s greed has gone past any level of sensibility now, the high time that India must bounce back against all the evils.
We are proud that Vata Foundation and like-minded people are still there to save the Mother Nature and humanity with whatever limited resource they have.
But above all The Telangana High Court and entire judiciary deserve a standing ovation for such a pro nature stand and restore faith in the pillars of democracy even during this crisis period.
We also appeal to The Telangana High Court and all judiciary systems across India and this appeal may be applicable for the entire planet earth:
1. No tree to be felled for any reason deforestation is absolute no, the only translocation of trees under expert supervision is expected in any project.
2. Translocations between July to Dec only to ensure the survival of the trees, as during this period water content in the root area in the soil will be good enough to sustain and regrow.
3. Tree Protection Committee that has been approving over 80% to 90% of trees for felling in most projects should be scrapped and held accountable for not monitoring compensatory plantations and relocation. They have to work like doctors of ICCU for the mother nature with no scope for overlooking at any cost.
We bow down before the learned bench of The Telangana High Court for upholding the faith in the system and restoring nature’s rights. A big thanks to the Vata Foundation team for fighting like a COVID Warrior even in this Pandemic for the Natural Oxygen supply.
