More than 50 trees along VIP Road have been felled in the last few days. The matter has come to the notice of the forest department and South Dum Dum Municipality officials, who have asked police to begin a probe.
Most of these trees are three to five years old. Local residents said the trees have been felled over the last few days. "The miscreants probably chopped the trees during the night," said a resident. Some 30 of the felled trees were seen lying on the road on Tuesday.
"It is very unfortunate. Fifty-two trees, including 26 arjun and 30 neem trees, have been felled off VIP Road at Lake Town without any permission. We assume it to be the handiwork of some billboard agencies, who want to remove the trees to make their hoardings fully visible. The forest department has lodged a complaint at Lake Town police station. I have requested the police to look into the matter," said South Dum Dum Municipality's chairman-in-council (CiC) member Anup Mitra.
Mitra said felling trees in the area was not new. "A person was arrested a month
ago for cutting trees in the same area," he said. Civic authorities have asked all billboard agencies to show their documents.
"We have received some complaints. We are trying to identify the culprits," said a police officer
Source-The Times of India , 8Aug,2007
