A flagrant violation of the WALTA Act came to light on the eve of World Environment Day by none other than the public sector giant South-Central Railway.
As per information from reliable sources, a total of 90 trees have been felled in the premises of the Secunderabad Railway Station on June 1, which came to light when a social media user broke the news on Twitter on June 4.
The user Sai Koushik said fully grown trees have been chopped completely in the name of expansion of railway station.
Probe by city-based environmental enthusiasts has revealed that the central government undertaking did not have permission to fell the trees.
“The permission letter clearly recommended translocation of the trees, but they were felled. That too on the eve of World Environment Day! Probe should be conducted and the responsible officials should be punished,” said Vinay Vangala, a citizen activist, who recently broke the news about many trees being felled without permission by GHMC officials and the Traffic Police, on Gachibowli-KPHB stretch.
Permission was sought from the Forest department to cut down 119 trees in November last year, by the World Class Station Project wing of the SCR, for construction/major upgradation of the Secunderabad station.
The matter was referred to the District Forest Protection Committee, the members of which inspected the location in December, and decided not to give felling permission even for a single tree.
Of the total 119, translocation was recommended for 45, and retention at the same spot for 74 more. For all the trees determined to be translocated, the committee recommended planting of thrice the number of saplings.
Confusion seems to have arisen from the ambiguity in communication by the Forest officials, because, the same orders specifying retention of the trees also mention payment of ₹94,500 as security deposit towards the cost of raising compensatory plantation for the trees permitted for felling. The applicant is mentioned to have paid the same too!
Chief Public Relations Officer of the South-Central Railway Rakesh, when approached, claimed that Forest department’s permission was obtained for a total 90 trees, with the condition that each felled tree will be compensated with planting of 10 saplings. A total 1000 trees are proposed to be planted in the upgraded premises accordingly, he said.
