Over 30K trees to be axed to expand highway in J’khand

In Jharkhand’s Ranchi and Khunti divisions, 16,000 trees are likely to be felled while in Jamshedpur division another 14,000 trees will be felled to pave way for the four-laning of the 165 km Ranchi-Jamshedpur National Highway 33.

However, environmentalists have cried foul and sought the attention of the Centre. At a time when forest survey reports are claiming increase in green cover in Jharkhand, the state’s people in Ranchi are going to pay hefty price for fast development, when the trees get felled shortly. Environmentalists say massive tree felling exercise would disturb the ecological balance and affect the lives of tribals who are hugely dependent upon good ecology for life.

A senior official of Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation (JSFDC) has received markings of 11,400 trees in Ranchi and Khunti divisions for felling, of which 75 per cent have already been axed.

Around 5,000 more trees are to be marked soon. In Jamshedpur division, 7,177 trees have been marked for felling.