20 heritage trees felled in Dharamsala for ‘smart’ road widening project
Raghav Guleria
Dharamsala, February 10
As many as 20 heritage trees of the jacaranda species have “fallen prey” to the project to widen the proposed ‘smart’ road in the heart of the town. The stumps of the trees along the road are reminiscent of the British era when these must have been planted over 100 years ago.
Pradeep Katoch, who has been living in the town for over 55 years, said, “We have seen these trees since our childhood. There are only a few patches left now, especially the ones near the School Board and others near the SP’s residence, which must be saved at any cost.”
Must be compensated
These trees are a treasure of Dharamsala town, as they bring pureness in the air and heal the environment. According to government guidelines, one felled tree must be compensated by planting five saplings but we are yet to see any concern for the natural heritage while Smart City projects are implemented. —LN Aggarwal, President, Indian national trust for art and culture heritage
Tanvi Gupta, Tree Officer of the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation, said: “Around 20 trees were required to be felled for the road widening. The green cover of grown-up trees outside the SP’s residence is safe.”
According to experts, an exponential expansion of the town, along with development activities in the name of making a “smart” Dharamsala, has virtually posed a threat to the fragile ecology there.
According to Prem Sagar, an environmentalist, jacarandas are a unique ornamental tree species that blossom twice a year. He said, “Every April, these flowers could be seen carpeted on roads, announcing the beginning of the tourist season. In the past 50 years, we have lost the lush green terraced paddy fields with ‘kainth’ (wild Himalyan pear) trees all around.”
LN Aggarwal, president, Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage, said: “These trees are a treasure of the town, as they bring pureness in the air and heal the environment. According to government guidelines, one felled tree must be compensated by planting five saplings but we are yet to see any concern for the natural heritage while Smart City projects are implemented.”
