Residents of New Alipore in Kolkata took a stand on Wednesday. They stepped out of their homes and stopped workers from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation water supply department. The workers were digging a narrow pavement strip between F and G blocks. The residents discovered that the workers had bored tunnels through the roots of jarul and gulmohar trees.
Residents Express Anger Over Tree Damage
Amitabh Tibrewal, a resident of F Block, lives right next to the dug-up stretch. He was livid to find the tunnels dug through the tree roots. Tibrewal said, "Roots of at least four big trees in our neighbourhood were hollowed out by the senseless digging underneath. Though the trees are standing now, they will topple when there is a storm."
Tibrewal had warned the workers to be careful when the digging started two days ago. His warning was ignored. "They argued that since the trees were still erect, it was not a problem to drill under them," he explained. Tibrewal has seen these trees since he moved into the neighbourhood in 1991.
Protest Halts Work on Jnan Goswami Sarani
Jnan Goswami Sarani is where the digging was taking place. This street turned into a thoroughfare leading to a Bailey bridge. The Bailey bridge was set up after the Majerhat bridge crashed. On Wednesday morning, Tibrewal and a few other residents protested. They stopped the work around 9.30 am.
Local resident Meenakshi Pandeya said the workers were asked to show documents. These documents should prove they could burrow under the trees. The workers could not produce any such documents. Pandeya stated, "The pipe-laying work could have been done at the edge of the road instead of the pavement where the trees are growing. The manner in which the digging took place under the trees is shocking."
KMC Officials Intervene to Save Trees
After the protest, KMC parks department officials took up the matter. They spoke with civic body water supply department officials. A team of civic officials from borough X went to the spot on Wednesday evening. Their goal was to save the trees.
A KMC water supply department official commented on the situation. He said, "It is unfortunate that some workers acted mindlessly without taking care of the roots of the full-grown trees, making them vulnerable during a storm. We asked our team to take corrective measures so that we don't lose these green giants."
Importance of Jarul and Gulmohar Trees
The jarul tree is also known as Pride of India. It has beautiful purple flowers. The gulmohar tree boasts vibrant red flowers. Together, these trees add a dash of colour to the New Alipore neighbourhood. They enhance the local environment and provide shade.
Broader Environmental Concerns in Kolkata
Various environment action groups in Kolkata have raised alarms. They cite several practices that harm trees:
- Indiscriminate digging around trees
- Lopsided pruning
- Concretization at the base of the trunk
These actions are reasons for the large-scale toppling of trees during storms. For example, on Sarat Bose Road, a huge banyan tree uprooted last year. It held up traffic on this key road for hours. A similar civic water work had led to the roots being cut.
Recently, trees were felled to carry out beautification in a park. This park is situated opposite a police station. Protests by citizens forced the KMC parks and squares department to act. They asked the agency maintaining the park to plant at least 40 trees.
The New Alipore incident shows how community action can protect urban greenery. Residents are vigilant about preserving their local environment. They demand accountability from civic authorities.
