Rajkot: Environmental activists and nature lovers in the veraval coastal city helpless watching nearly 1,800 trees accessed to make room for commercial and auditorium complexes, on Monday.
The trees, hundreds of them are as high as more than 20 feet, are part of the natural park developed, ironically with the blessings of the veraval city in 4,584 sq m which is not used from the civil body.
In fact, the Green Drive Champion has protested the Civic’s body’s decision to allow commercial development here since 2018.
Activists, some of them from the life of the art of life, said about 1,800 trees were hit by bulldozers, 850 had grown more than 20 feet.
Vijay Sagar, one of the green warriors, said, “Civic’s body asked us to plant trees and maintain it.
We also get puppies from the Ministry of Forestry for two years.
About 100 veraval trees lovers have maintained this park by spending money from our bags.
But all Our efforts for the last 13 years are accessed in a day.
“Sagar also claimed that the city government also issued a certificate without objections to getting a water meter connection with their names so they could be well maintained.
“During the Janmashtami festival, when the contractor began to cut the tree, we approached the head of the minister’s head (CMO) and they stopped.
After that, we went to meet then CM Vijay Kupani in Gandhinagar and he assured us that there was no more tree to be cut.” There were some tense moments when activists hugged trees and refused to screw them.
When contacted, Jatin Mehta, Head of Officer, Veraval Municipality said, “This is a backup plot for the commercial complex under the city planning scheme and cannot be used for other purposes.
The land was barren a few years ago, so we have allowed tree plantations.
We cut around 960 trees and most species do not require permission to cut.
“He added,” according to the condition of our contract, the contractor must clean the site itself.
They (activists) want to represent higher authorities and want to explore legal options, so we give them Time.
However, there are no orders from higher authorities or stays given by the court to suspend our work, so we continue.
“Mehta added.
But activists argue that if this plot is provided for the commercial complex, then why did they be asked to plant and maintain trees for years?