20k trees felled in Ggn for police lines

Gurugram: As anger increases among residents of Delhi over the decision to axe over 16,500, there have been reports of another massive tree felling activity in the Capital's neighbourgin city Gurugram.

A damming report states that information obtained through an RTI application revealed there more than 20,000 trees spread over 57 acre in the Aravallis have allegedly been cut for setting up for police lines in Manesar, a project which started in 2010.

After the report became public, an investigation wass launched by the government agencies to enquire if rules were flouted for the project.

This is the first time when Gurugram's green lungs have faced the axe in the name of development. Recently the National Green Tribunal shelved the state government's plan to divert a 12-km stretch of the Gurugram–Manesar expressway passing through the Aravalli range forests.

Large scale tree felling continues to be reported from other Aravalli areas, such as Chauma and Mangar.

Last year, a FIR was filed against a builder in Gurugram, who was in cahoots with certain government officials and gained clearance to axe trees in the green belt area so that his project can be expanded.

More than 4,000 trees have been felled down by the Haryana forest department along the busy highway, which sees various developmental activities – such as construction of flyovers, underpasses and widening of roads.