Guwahati: In recent years, the rapid development of flyovers and road expansions in Guwahati, Assam, has been viewed as a symbol of progress. However, this development has come at a significant cost to the environment, particularly due to the large-scale felling of trees.
According to reports, over 7,000 trees have been cut down in Guwahati to accommodate the expansion of National Highway 37 and the construction of new flyovers.
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It is worth noting that this figure only includes trees that were felled with permission or reported to the Assam forest department. The actual number of trees felled may be even higher, as many instances of tree cutting occur without proper authorization.
The destruction of trees has occurred across various ongoing projects in Guwahati, including flyovers, water supply projects, and beautification initiatives.
In the Panikhaiti area in Guwahati, 40 trees were uprooted for a new flyover project. Along the banks of the Brahmaputra River, 21 trees were felled for an Inland Water Transport project.
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Additionally, 25 trees were chopped down for a beautification project undertaken by Guwahati Smart City Limited. Even the Assam Assembly campus at Dispur saw the felling of seven trees. Last week, at least 30 trees were reportedly felled in the Uzanbazar area and seven trees were cut down inside the Assam Assembly campus.
These incidents of tree cutting have taken place within the past few months, with some of the affected trees being more than a decade old.
Unfortunately, the issue extends beyond these specific cases. In the Guwahati refinery area, known for its industrial presence and lush greenery, ten mature trees were felled to make way for pipeline installation.
Similarly, in the Rupnagar area, where the proposed Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner’s office is to be constructed, at least 31 trees, including some that were over 20 years old, were cut down. The Satgaon Army Cantonment area also witnessed the felling of ten trees during the same period.
Further, the infrastructure development plans for Gauhati University in Jalukbari are set to result in the cutting of at least 31 trees, with several already having been felled.
Additionally, it is estimated that around 1,000 trees have been cut on private property in Guwahati in recent months, with the actual number potentially being higher due to unreported cases of tree felling.
These alarming numbers have triggered widespread concern among the residents of Guwahati, leading to protests against the destruction of the city’s green cover. While infrastructure development is important, it is crucial to find a balance between progress and environmental preservation.
Compounding the issue is the shortfall in compensatory afforestation efforts. An RTI-based report highlighted that Assam utilized only approximately 21% of the funds allocated by the central government for compensatory afforestation between 2017 and 2022.
Although the central government released Rs 709.15 crore for this purpose, the Assam government reportedly utilized only Rs 146.65 crore. This shortfall raises concerns about the environmental impact of tree felling not being adequately mitigated.
“The shortfall in compensatory aforestation is a major concern as it does not address the environmental impact of tree felling,” said an environmental activist.
“The government needs to take steps to ensure that more trees are planted to compensate for the ones that are felled. It also needs to ensure that the compensatory afforestation is done in a scientific manner so that the trees that are planted can survive and grow,” he added.