HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Oct 30: As Guwahati residents protested the government’s proposal to cut down some 200-year-old trees in the city, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to preserving the city’s legacy while advancing infrastructure projects, even as Public Works Department has been asked to come up with an alternative proposal.
Authorities in Dighalipukhuri have designated some 200-year-old trees for removal because the state government intends to construct a flyover from Dighalipukhuri to the Noonmati neighbourhood in the city.
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The project created a lot hue and cry among the Guwahati people because the flyover that now includes the Tayabullah Road was recently redesigned, potentially jeopardising Dighalipukhuri’s historical and aesthetic attractiveness.
Taking to X, Sarma wrote, “I want to assure you that the government is deeply committed to preserving our city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure. In constructing the flyovers from Dighalupukhuri to Noonmati, we are sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area,”
“I urge all stakeholders to allow the Public Works Department a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility,” he added.
The government is constructing a four-lane 5.05 km long flyover, the longest in the city, from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati at a cost of Rs 852.68 crore. It is scheduled to be operational by 2026.
The PWD authorities placed yellow crosses on about 25 trees a couple of days ago, some of which are reputedly more than 200 years old, along Tayabullah Road and in front of Handique Girls’ College in preparation for uprooting the trees.
A group of eminent citizens voiced their discontent with the tree-cutting proposal and called for a protest on Tuesday.
In a statement, the group expressed concern, stating, “The construction of the flyover from Noonmati to Dighalipukhuri commenced without conducting an environmental impact study or considering the opinions of the local residents. Now, they plan to cut down trees that are 200 years old to make way for the flyover. This will adversely affect the biodiversity and heritage of Dighalipukhuri and will have a broader impact on the environment of the entire city. These trees not only provide a habitat for many bird species but also offer relief from the sweltering heat, acting as the lungs of the metropolis.”
A petition was also submitted to the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court requesting him to take suo motu cognisance of the matter, which is very important for the welfare of the environment.
At night, hundreds of people, including singers, actors and students of Cotton University, held a vigil in the area to prevent the administration from cutting the trees.
“Following the public protest during the day, we formed a group called ‘Save Dighalipukhuri’. We will hold this night vigil till the High Court takes a decision on the PIL,” SFI state secretary Sangita Das said.
Netizens also took to social media to criticise the government’s decision, highlighting the trees’ importance as habitats for numerous resident and migratory birds.
“It’s a good sign that there is a lot of anger among people against the government’s stubborn decision to cut down trees. However, if this protest does not translate into votes, it will yield no results,” eminent neurosurgeon Navanil Barua said on Facebook.
The government may yield to public pressure or “high profile protests” in Guwahati, but it will not change its destructive character, he added.
“Where there is little or no protest, such irrational acts will continue,” said Barua, also a renowned political commentator.
Meanwhile, artists from Assamese movie industries including prominent figures like Zubin Garg and Papon voiced their displeasure over chopping off trees for the construction of flyovers.
Papon expressed his dismay over the loss of heritage, saying, “If we prioritise building the ‘new’ at the expense of the old, then it will become a historically very young place. Beautiful cities worldwide are celebrated for their greenery and historic architecture, yet here we are losing trees that are over 150 years old in the name of ‘development.’”
“Because of my love for trees, I have been constantly hurt for years when I see century-old trees being brought down to widen roads etc. In the past I have gone to ask the law, only to be told that, apparently development comes before environment!” he said on Facebook.
BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia applauded the public outcry against the government’s move and said when a tree is cut in a rural area, another grows, but the same never happens in urban areas.
“I don’t know whether it is right or wrong to cut trees for the sake of human development… But personally, I am happy that some foresighted people are coming out to protest against cutting down of trees in #Dighalipukhuri, #Guwahati, #Assam,” he posted on X.
