Green cover faces axe in Lucknow: 400 trees go under hammer for over ₹26 lakh
A total of 308 trees obstructing construction work at Ashok Leyland unit auctioned for ₹18.35 lakh while another 92 green trees obstructing construction work at UPSRTC regional workshop auctioned for ₹7.75 lakh
LUCKNOW The auction of 400 trees for over ₹26 lakh by the UP Forest Corporation marked a green irony of sorts on World Environment Day with Lucknow set to suffer a green blow to pave way for development.
A total of 308 trees obstructing construction work of building and sheds at the Ashok Leyland unit (formerly Scooters India Limited complex at Sarojini Nagar industrial area) were auctioned for ₹18.35 lakh while another 92 green trees obstructing construction work at the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) regional workshop at Gomti Nagar’s Vibhuti Khand premises were auctioned for ₹7.75 lakh.
“The bidding was attended by 36 people and 10 of them took part in actual bidding. We sought a no-objection certificate (NoC) from the forest department last month,” said Davinder Singh, divisional sales manager, UP Forest Corporation.
When asked why these green trees can’t be relocated instead of being felled, Singh said this option was explored but it did not work out.
The 400 trees that were auctioned included: Peepal, neem, sheesham, babool, banyan, eucalyptus, bauhinia variegate (kachnar), jamun, albizia lebbeck (shirisha tree), golden shower (Amaltas tree), ficus racemosa (Gular), madina and chilbil.
Ironically, at a time when various events like tree plantation were taking place at various government and private offices on environment day, 400 green trees quietly went under the hammer that will eventually be felled to create space for development work.