BHUBANESWAR: Trees have the biggest potential to tackle climate crisis. But in Odisha they have become the first victims of development.
A staggering 1.85 crore trees were felled in the last one decade in Odisha for expansion of roads. The State Government planted around 29.83 lakh trees during the period to compensate the loss of green cover.
Replying to an unstarred question by BJP MLA Mohan Charan Majhi, Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha said a total of 1,85,00,748 trees have been felled between 2010-11 and 2020-21 for the widening of highways in the state.
“The trees have been cut down from both forest and non-forest land mainly for expansion of National Highways and State Highways. The loss has been compensated with 29,83,573 trees planted at a cost of Rs 66.17 crore under afforestation programme during the last 10 years,” he stated.
As per the information laid in the House, maximum 62,03,936 trees have been felled in 2015-16, followed by 26,77,686 in 2019-20, 20,44,782 in 2018-19, 18,07,909 in 2016-17, 17,78,734 in 2012-13, 17,33,385 in 2014-15 and 13,10,314 in 2017-18.
While the lowest 16,990 trees were felled in 2013-14, the highest 6,01,875 trees were planted at a cost of Rs 20.6 crore in the same year. As many as 1,73,218 trees were felled and 1,47,213 trees planted this fiscal.
The Minister in his reply, however, stated as per the provisions in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) has taken up avenue plantations. The plantation is generally taken up after completion of the road widening work, he said.
The trees have been felled for widening of National Highways including four lanning of Sambalpur-Bargarh-Odisha/Chhattisgarh section of NH-6, four/six-laning of Bhubaneswar-Puri, Panikoili-Remuli section and Remuli-Rajamunda section.
The state government has planted 4,28,071 trees along the Sambalpur-Bargarh, Bhubaneswar-Puri, Panikoili-Remuli and Remuli-Rajamunda national highways.
As per the provisions, 12,73,465 trees will be planted along Singada-Binjhabahal, Bahadagoda-Singada, Binjhabahal-Tileibani, Cuttack-Angul, Biramitrapur-Barkote and Angul-Sambalpur roads after completion of the project, the Minister stated.
While the Forest (Conservation) Act mandates plantation of two trees for every tree cut on non-forest land for any developmental project and 10 trees to be planted on forest land, the state government has planted only 16 per cent of the trees felled for road projects. However, there is no mention about the number
of trees survived after plantation.