BERHAMPUR: At a time when the forest cover in Ganjam district has gone down due to natural calamities, felling of a large number of trees for widening of Bhanjanagar-Belaguntha road has sparked off resentment among the locals.
During Phailin, hundreds of valuable trees in south and north Ghumusur forest division were uprooted. To compensate the loss of green cover, forest officials undertook massive plantation drive in forest areas under the two divisions and many saplings were planted on either side of the Bhanjanagar-Belaguntha road near Baranganala, around 2 km from Bhanjanagar town.
In the last four years, the trees grew up to 10-12 ft. However, all these trees were felled last week for expansion of the Bhanjanagar-Belaguntha road.
Mujagada forest office sources said a joint survey was taken up by Forest, Revenue and Works departments for widening of the road and deforestation recently.
This has not gone down well with the locals, who said it was a wastage of Government funds as a large amount of money was spent towards planting the saplings which have now been chopped off. They said the officials concerned should have thought about expansion of road before planting the saplings. Locals have demanded immediate compensatory plantation on the road.