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Green Drive Before Metro Run,Plantation To Precede Felling Of Trees

By siddharth22, Section Kolkata Metro
Posted on Wed Nov 28, 2007 at 11:11:05 PM EST

It's perhaps a first for the city and reason for green activists to rejoice. Compensatory plantation will start before even a single tree is cut to make space for the East-West Metro project.

The Special Purpose Unit (SPU), a high level committee formed for the East-West Metro, has principally accepted this `pro-active' afforestation drive as there would be substantial destruction of greenery at Salt lake's Central Park, where the new Metro line would have its depot.

Before construction work begins on the project in mid-2008, the SPU will conduct a detailed study on the extent of greenery that has to be destroyed for the project. Accordingly, an action plan for compensatory greening would be evolved. The SPU will rope in the forest department in this endeavour. The terminal depot will come up on 40 acres of land in Central Park.

Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), which is funding the project, has insisted on a detailed study on the likely adverse environmental impact the East West Metro will have on the city's ecology and the remedial measures required. Compensatory afforestation drives for major construction projects so far have been token exercises, bereft of any seriousness.

On Saturday, SPU officials met key environment crusaders in the city and took their suggestion on issues like destruction of greenery for the project. "It has become a practice that saplings are planted only after some trees are cut down.

Young saplings planted after felling of a full-grown tree can hardly compensate for the environmental loss. So, we have asked the government to launch the compensatory plantation programme much before the actual felling of trees," said Subhas Dutta, a green crusader of the city.

Besides afforestation, environmentalists have asked the government to ensure protection for the jackal habitat at Central Park. It is one of the few such wild habitats still surviving in a metropolis. Another prominent environmentalist, Dr Dipayan Dey of South Asian Forum for Environment, has insisted on certain modifications to the project plan if it threatens the jackal habitat.

Environmentalists also cautioned the government about protecting the underground aquifer as the city's groundwater level has dangerously depleted. "We have to save the aquifer, no matter what the cost. The East-West Metro's alignment would be even lower than that of the existing metro. So, there is every chance of it affecting the aquifer. Extra caution is needed since the metro would run through the wetland buffer zone," said Dutta.

Source:The Time Of India,29-11-07

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