Environmental activists have raised serious objections over the alleged illegal felling of hundreds of mature trees along the road connecting Dhaula and Dhurkot villages in Barnala district. The incident is reported to have occurred ahead of a road construction project planned by the Public Works Department (PWD), Barnala.
Allegations by Activists
According to environmentalists, the PWD is set to construct a new road in the area. They claim that before any construction work began, hundreds of fully grown trees standing along the sides of the existing road were cut down without obtaining the required permissions. The felled trees reportedly include species such as neem, peepal, tahli, and mulberry, some of which were several decades old.
The activists assert that this large-scale tree felling is a clear violation of environmental regulations. They have demanded strict action against those responsible for the act.
Response from PWD Officials
Harsh Goyal, Executive Engineer of PWD (B&R), Barnala, denied any wrongdoing. He stated, 'We have not cut any tree, and the construction work has not even started yet. This is still a kutcha path. Still, I will look into the matter and ask the officials and village panchayats as well.'
Demand for Investigation
The activists have urged the district administration to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident. They have requested the Deputy Commissioner to form a special investigation team under the supervision of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) to probe the matter and take appropriate action against the guilty parties.
Furthermore, the environmentalists warned that if no action is taken by the authorities, they will approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to seek justice. The incident has sparked concerns over the preservation of green cover in the region and adherence to environmental laws.
