Monday, 27 September 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
Several Dehradun residents and environmental activists participated in the ‘Chipko Movement’ on Sunday to protest against the proposed felling of 2,200 trees for the widening purpose of the road passing through Jogiwala- Sahastradhara Road stretch. The protest movement started at 11 AM on Sunday when several concerned citizens and activists gathered along the Sahastradhara Road holding placards with different messages on saving the trees. Many even tied Raksha Sutra around the trees to register their protest.
One of the protesters, Mohit Dwivedi said that for the past few years, the government here is consistently cutting trees for almost every development project despite being aware of how it has already affected the ecology of Dehradun. He said, “We have 2,200 green, strong and healthy trees which have been here for years. Aren’t the officials concerned aware of how much time it takes for a tree to grow to reach this level? These unplanned development works are being done by the government just to show the public during elections how much work the government did when in fact, they are destroying the city.”
Another protestor Khushi Chauhan said, “We have tied the Raksha Sutra around the trees with the promise that we will save them no matter what. The government should understand that such ‘assassination’ of trees will certainly turn many of its potential voters against it. The politicians must start giving the environment equal attention as they do to other matters to please the voters. I will certainly not vote for a political party which is destroying the future of my kids by destroying the environment.”
Member of Citizens For Green Doon (CFGD), Himanshu Arora said that about 1,000 people participated in the protest on Sunday that showed how many are against this so-called development work. He stated that the development projects must not be done by felling the trees as their number is already declining in the city. “Once Dehradun had the best environment but now, it is among the most polluted cities and the situation continues to deteriorate. We wanted to show through this protest that if the government goes forward with its plan to cut down 2,200 trees then the citizens are also ready to fight against it to save them,” stated Arora.
