RCC cutting trees on pretext of beautification

RAJSHAHI, July 28: Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is facing allegations that it is destroying trees in the name of its beautification drive. Valuable trees including mahogany, koroi, shishu, jhau tree and others are being felled on the city's rail gate-CNB intersection, but forest and environment departments were not informed of it and no formal tender was called for the purpose.
Three days after the Eid-ul-Fitr, around ten mahogany trees were cut down in city's Bandho Gate area.
The city corporation earlier cut down about 50 Shishu trees from the south side of the Fire Brigade to Bheripara road of Srirampur in December last year and in March this year.
Except these, in October 2014, around 14 Shishu tress were chopped off on flood control dams in Ward No. 24 of the city corporation, by the ward councillor Arman Ali.
Locals said most of these trees were around 15 years old and expressed their discontent with the indiscriminate felling of trees on the road median. They urged the city corporation to stop the operation immediately.
Meanwhile, Divisional Forest Officer Ajit Kumar Rudra told this newsman that the RCC authorities chopped down the trees without their consent. But for cutting down any tree, it is strictly recommended to take permission of the Social Forest Division.
Protesting the incident, general secretary of Rajshahi Rokkha Songram Parishad (RRSP) Mr. Jamat Khan said, "There is no scope for beautification by cutting down trees. The RCC authorities are running this kind of activity by force." He also demanded that the illegal drive be stopped forthwith.
When contacted, chief engineer of RCC Ashraful Haque said, "We are cutting the trees under the 'Zero Soil' project aimed at planting new trees throughout the city. All trees will not be felled but only the indisciplined ones. We will plant thousands of Kath Karabi (flowering trees) that would release more oxygen."
"The trees were felled to expand the Fire Brigade to Bheripara road by 47 feet. As the Forest Division does not allow to cut any living plant, they were not informed and no formal tender was called," Mr. Haque added.    ritushar.ru@gmail.com