HYDERABAD: Close on the heels of the controversy over the felling of trees for road widening in Nallagandla, green activists raised a hue and cry on Twitter on Friday over the chopping of trees on Road No. 45 in Jubilee Hills. The civil society organisation Citizens for Hyderabad posted a video clipping on social media of the felled trees in Jubilee Hills.
In a reply to the post, GHMC Central Zone Commissioner Musharraf Faruqui said that the trees were being removed or translocated to complete the road widening works and construction of ramp of an upcoming flyover in the area. When contacted, Hyderabad District Forest Officer P Venkateshwarlu informed that the felling of trees in Jubilee Hills was being conducted after obtaining the necessary permission from Forest Department.
An online petition is being circulated by Vata Foundation, demanding that the existing Tree Protection Committee (TPC) be dissolved. It has alleged that the TPC has been doling out permissions for felling of trees for various government projects like Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) and Hyderabad Metro Rail. Speaking to Express, Venkateshwarlu said, “Anyone who has to cut more than five trees in GHMC limits has to first apply for permission with the TPC. Only after clearance is given can the trees be chopped.”