After Civil Hospital, now trees axed at P&T Colony

Less than a month after over 20 trees were felled on the premises of the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, for the construction of a Critical Care Unit, several trees have now been mercilessly uprooted at the P&T Colony in Jalandhar. A complaint has been made at the Navi Baradari police station by officials of the Postal Department in Jalandhar (under whose jurisdiction the colony falls). However, no case has been registered in the matter yet.

The Postal Department has said a complaint will also be made to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Anshu Verma, a resident of P&T Colony and key witness, has alleged that on October 2, several men entered their colony with a JCB machine, two tractors and a trolley and uprooted three 20-year-old trees on the premises and 10 trees which were two to three-year-old. Anshu Verma alleged that neither was permission sought from the officials of the Postal Department, nor were residents of the colony informed before the action.

After colony residents complained on the police helpline number 100, the Navi Baradari police seized the JCB machine and questioned the men who had come to fell the trees. However, no action has been taken against them as of yet.

All formal complaints on the issue have been made to the police by the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices.

Anshu Verma, an employee of the Postal Department, alleged, “This colony is on government land and the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices is the only official who can be permitted the action. They broke water pipelines and damaged property of the colony which falls under a government department. It is perplexing why a case has not been registered against them?”

Anshu Verma alleged that those who uprooted the trees were residents of Master Tara Singh Colony, which is behind the P&T Colony and were perturbed by some tree branches reaching into their homes.

However, he added, “They didn’t chop branches, they uprooted the entire trees.”

SHO, Navi Baradari, said, “The men have been questioned and their JCB machine was also seized. However, no malafide intention is involved as they were perturbed with some bugs and insects entering their houses due to the tree branches. Only a DDR has been filed and we have written to the Forest Department to take further action.”

This is the second time in a month that a Jalandhar-based complaint will be submitted to the NGT regarding the felling of trees in the city.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Subhash Chandra Meena said, “This is a residential colony of the employees of the Postal and Telecom Department. It is illegal to cut trees without permission and enter the colony illegally. I have inspected the spot in the matter. Here, three shady and fruit-bearing trees have been cut. The Postal Department has complained about this to the police station in-charge, Navi Baradari, for strict action by registering an FIR against the accused. Now let us see what the Police Department does. It is the moral responsibility of all to plant trees and this case of illegally cutting big trees cannot be tolerated at all.”