Loss Of ‘Jungle’ In Concrete Jungle: Over 800 Trees To Be Felled For MLA Apt In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Legislators are most likely to move into apartments replete with all modern facilities in the next two-and-a-half years, but what they might miss is the green that once covered the MLA colony in Odisha capital

If reports are to be believed over 800 trees, which are more than 60 to70 years old, will be felled to make way for the high-rise apartment complex. In total, 870 trees will be felled for which enumeration has already been completed in the project area at Unit IV, City Forest Division sources said.

In the last two days, hundreds of trees were found chopped and stocked in the area. Around 50 old trees, planted in the early years of the capital city, were chopped inside the colony earlier in January.

The Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) began cutting the trees as per the requisition of Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC), which is executing the Rs 275 crore project. While the number of multi-storeyed apartments is yet to be finalised, this project is believed to be of 10-11 floors having 300 quarters (flats). Besides, 25 Type-V and 105 Type-VI quarters, there will be market complexes, a police station, a health centre, gymnasiums with all facilities and a banquet hall to accommodate 2,000 to 3,000 people at a time.

While the project envisages creating more open space with vertical construction, the loss of green cover even as the city reels under intense heat has not gone down well with the denizens.

City Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Yasobanta Beriha told TNIE that adequate plantation will be done to compensate for the green cover loss. The OBCC, on behalf of the GA department, has provided over Rs 68 lakh for compensatory plantation to recover the loss of greenery for the project.

Activists, however, feel that plantation measures should have been taken up before the commencement of the project.

Notably, government colonies in the area have many old and valuable trees like Debdaru, banyan, peepal, jamun, mango and jackfruit.