PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Concerned citizens of Dehradun organised a “Wada Yaad Dilao” Padyatra from Dilaram Chowk to Centrio Mall on Sunday to protect water, forests and land, along with holding leaders accountable to their promises. According to the protesters, on June 23, 2024, thousands of Dehradun residents marched in solidarity against the proposed felling of approximately 250 trees for the New Cantt Road widening project. In response, banners were put up overnight declaring that no trees would be cut and the chief minister publicly assured citizens that the plan would be shelved to protect the city’s green cover.
However, recent media reports indicate that a new plan is underway to expand Cantt Road to four lanes. Initially, 17 trees will be cut down, but once land acquisition is complete, many more trees may be cut for the planned expansion, they added.
Considering this, the “Wada Yaad Dilao” Padyatra was organised to once again halt such plans. They stressed that this is no longer just a matter of saving trees; it’s a fight for the survival of the children and future generations. The meeting was addressed by Citizen for Green Doon (CFGD) member Himanshu Arora, environmentalist Ravi Chopra and founder of the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation Anoop Nautiyal. Various groups took part in the march, including the Balabhadra Khalanga Development Committee, Echo Group and others, they said.
Arora pointed out that cutting of trees in the past has contributed to climate change, highlighting that February has never been this warm in the past—a trend that is now evident.
