Goalpara: More than 7000 sal trees will be cut as the expansion of the national highway number 27 is underway in the Goalpara district of Assam. The two-lane highway is being converted into a four-lane road. The highway passes through the Borjhar forest area under the Krishna regional forest division of the district.
Once the motorists and travellers delight, the eye-soothing greenery lined up on both the flanks of the highway will be a thing of the past. In the name of development, 7334 sal trees will be felled. The process of cutting trees on either side of National Highway 27 by the forest department has begun. The trees in Borjhar and Barmatia reserve forests under the jurisdiction of the central forest area of Krishnai in the district will be cut for the expansion of the national highway.
As a part of the ongoing project, 2300 sal trees were cut on Wednesday. The trees species of Krishnachura (royal poinciana), Radhachura (peacock flower) and Bakul (Spanish cherry) on both sides of the national highway from Sholmari to Pancharatna’s Naranarayan Bridge in the district were cut on Wednesday.
Interestingly, the mass felling of trees comes days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to the people of the state to plant two crore saplings on October 2 to maintain the green cover in the state. Locals and nature lovers have expressed their deep concern over the felling of trees. "Rampant cutting of trees and destruction of greenery were posing a threat to the environment. Depletion of greenery has caused global warming resulting in climate change," said some of the residents.
