The district administration in Balasore, Odisha, has found itself in the midst of a controversy and public backlash after visuals emerged showing the felling of several trees on the premises of the district collector's office. The action, allegedly in violation of pollution control norms, was undertaken to facilitate the construction of an overhead water tank. Following widespread public outrage, the work was officially halted on Wednesday.
Official Permission and Public Outcry
According to official sources, the Balasore wildlife division had issued a formal work order permitting the removal of 30 specifically enumerated trees from the collectorate office campus. The order, addressed to the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), Baripada division, sanctioned the felling of a casuarina tree, 25 eucalyptus trees, 2 radhachuda trees, a baula tree, and a teak tree. The stated reason was the construction of an Elevated Storage Reservoir (ESR) under a public drinking water supply project managed by the public health department.
However, the actual cutting of several old and mature trees by the appointed contractor sparked immediate concern among citizens and environmental activists. Many questioned the logic of allowing such activity within a key government establishment at a time when the state has imposed strict restrictions to curb rising pollution levels in urban areas.
A Pattern of Controversial Activity
The controversy was further intensified by the timing of the tree felling. It occurred just one day after the demolition of an old building on the same collectorate campus, an action also taken despite pollution-related restrictions issued by the district administration itself. This back-to-back execution of construction-related demolition and tree cutting was widely criticized, with many terming it a blatant violation of pollution control norms.
Administration's Clarification and Halt
In response to the growing criticism, Balasore Collector Mayur Suryawanshi provided clarification. He stated that the public health department had obtained the necessary permission from the forest department for the tree felling in December of the previous year. "The contractor should have carried out the work during that period," Suryawanshi said. He added that upon receiving information about the ongoing cutting, he immediately discussed the matter with the public health department. "Considering the current high AQI in Balasore, we have halted tree felling. Work will resume once AQI levels improve," the collector explained, announcing the official stoppage of the activity.
The incident has raised significant questions about the coordination between government departments and the adherence to environmental guidelines, especially when such projects are undertaken on government property itself. The administration's decision to halt work is seen as a direct result of sustained public pressure and activism.
