Saat Mod: The Bhaniyawala-Rishikesh stretch turned into the epicentre of large-scale protests on Tuesday as residents, environmentalists and members of several social and political organisations rallied against the proposed felling of 4,369 trees and transplantation of 754 for the highway-widening project. With the Supreme Court set to hear the matter on Wednesday, demonstrators urged authorities to suspend the tree felling, saying that it would cause irreversible damage to the Shivalik forests. While some peaceful protesters broke down in tears, others conveyed their message through songs and musical performances, drawing the attention of commuters and passers-by.
Thousands of trees have been felled for a proposed road-widening project / SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
“I am a resident of Ghamuwala near Bhaniyawala. Amid soaring temperatures, we fear the road widening through the Shivalik forests because it will only increase pollution of every kind,” said 17-year-old Devanash Sharma, who has been part of the protest since it began.
Activists are hugging a tree to protest for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
Along a one-kilometre stretch, felled logs lay scattered as labourers stripped bark from the trunks before transporting them to timber depots. Protesters alleged that the tree felling was being carried out “without adequate ecological assessment”.
Activists and citizens staged protest at Saat Mod for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
“None of the trees were inspected for nests, reptiles or other wildlife to ensure that no living creatures would be harmed. The movement of JCBs and felled trees is also obstructing elephants’ access to the Chandrabhaga river, which lies across the road and serves as a drinking water source,” said Omini, 27, a protester from Pauri.
A worker ready to felling tree at Saat Mod near Rishikesh for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), however, maintained that the project is being executed “in accordance with mitigation measures recommended by experts”, particularly in view of elephant corridors along the stretch.
An activist got emotional at Saat Mod site for a road-widening project / SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
A protestor stands to proposed tree felling for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
Tree felling continued under heavy police deployment, with more than a dozen protesters detained after allegedly attempting to disrupt the work. Those detained included members of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, including Parmila Rawat, Saumya Chaudhary and Nandini Arya of Bageshwar, who runs two libraries. Members of the Uttarakhand Mahila Manch and Uttarakhand Insaaniyat Manch also joined the protest.
The Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh stretch witnessed large-scale protests on Tuesday as residents from across Uttarakhand, ranging from various social, environmental and political organisations, opposed the proposed tree felling for a road-widening project / SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
Police personnel deployed at the site, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We are only carrying out our duty and following the orders issued to us.”
Activists have tied a poster to opposed the proposed tree felling for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
The Saat Mod site where randomly trees are felling for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
A full grown tree has been felled for a road-widening project/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
Workers are bust to fell tree for a road-widening project at Saat Mod / SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
The Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh stretch/ SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
Meanwhile, residents of Dehardun have called for observing Black Harela on Wednesday to oppose the proposed felling of 4,369 trees in the Shivalik Reserve and raise concerns over the impact of the linear infrastructure project on forests and wildlife corridors. Harela, a traditional Uttarakhand festival celebrating greenery, the onset of the monsoon and the sowing season, is usually marked by plantation drives across the state.
The Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh stretch witnessed large-scale protests on Tuesday as residents from across Uttarakhand, ranging from various social, environmental and political organisations, opposed the proposed tree felling for a road-widening project / SUKANTA MUKHERJEE
