Kolkata Park Controversy Takes Green Turn
In a significant reversal, the landscape consultancy firm tasked with beautifying Kolkata's historic McPherson Square has decided to overhaul its original plan to incorporate more greenery. This decision comes following widespread public condemnation after the firm cut down nearly a dozen fully grown trees and replaced substantial green areas with concrete structures.
Public Outrage Forces Rethink
The controversy erupted when the private organization, appointed to renovate the park located at the Theatre Road-Loudon Street intersection (also known as Maharana Pratap Udyan), began construction work that involved extensive tree removal. To construct a pathway around the park's inner periphery, workers axed nearly a dozen mature trees, along with several smaller trees and shrubs. The destruction extended to a circular patch of green that was denuded to make way for an ornamental fountain.
The situation reached a tipping point on Tuesday when representatives of the firm met with KMC member mayor-in-council for parks and gardens, Debashis Kumar. During the meeting, Kumar strongly reprimanded the firm for cutting trees without proper permission and demanded to know what compensatory measures they would implement to offset the environmental damage.
Corrective Measures Announced
Firm officials admitted their error in cutting the trees and committed to taking necessary steps to replenish the garden's green cover. The company plans to plant 25 trees, each at least 12 feet tall, which officials claim will grow into fully mature trees faster and have a much higher survival rate compared to saplings. Additionally, numerous saplings and shrubs will be planted along the newly constructed pathway.
Speaking to TOI after the crucial meeting, Kumar expressed satisfaction that the company acknowledged its mistake and proposed corrective actions. "From henceforth, the beautification of McPherson Square will be carried out under the watch of the civic department. Any lapse on their part will be dealt with promptly," Kumar asserted.
Enhanced Monitoring and Future Safeguards
Following Tuesday's discussions, permission has been granted to resume work at the park with strict conditions that all activities must proceed with extreme caution and no additional trees should be harmed, even accidentally.
Green activist group PUBLIC, which had filed a police complaint regarding the tree felling and subsequently sought details through an RTI about the agreement transferring the park's development to a private organization, welcomed the developments. PUBLIC co-founder Pradeep Kakkar stated, "There are several issues that still need to be resolved including the handover of public parks to private agencies and regular monitoring to ensure that trees that are public assets are not endangered. We will continue to keep an eye on the park and hope that the agency will now stick to its promise of reducing concrete."
In another significant development, a KMC parks department official revealed that a team of botanists will monitor the beautification project and provide technical expertise about tree transplantation to ensure the survival of any transplanted trees, demonstrating the administration's renewed commitment to preserving Kolkata's green spaces.
