Tree felling casts shadow on Haritha Haram drive

Hyderabad: On one hand, political parties and leaders are moving forward with Haritha Haram programme across Hyderabad to increase the tree count, on other, people are still filing applications to cut trees. Nearly, 200 applications have been received for cutting trees. Some locals are applying just because trees are present beside their residences. If people continue to indulge in such activities, then programmes such as Haritha Haram and Green Challenge will fail miserably.

As per the sources, in recent times, the total applications received to chop trees are 202 out of which 166 applications have been approved, 29 rejected citing several reasons and seven are pending. The officials of forest department cut down the trees after conducting a thorough check.

"Haritha Haram is not at all waste of time because DRDO is paying amount to the survived trees which comes under their zone. If tree felling or transit is happening in hundreds, plantation is taking process in lakhs," says D Bheema, District Forest Officer, Rangareddy district.

"Our walls of residences are getting damaged because of trees. This made us to apply. There is no use of cutting branches because they grow back in one or two months, says Vanaja Reddy, a resident of Vidya Nagar.

"Government should take an alternate step instead of cutting down the trees because trees are pride of our nature. It is foolish doing plantation in the name of Haritha Haram and cutting down the grown up trees," says Vivek, an Engineering student from Mallareddy College.