LAHORE, May 23: Marking of 1,000 trees on both sides of the canal bank has alarmed citizens and environmentalists who apprehend another ‘slaughter’ in the name of development . However, officials of the Communication and Works Department, the Parks and Horticulture Authority, the Lahore Development Authority and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency are ‘unaware’ of the move when this reporter approached them on Tuesday.

The tree marking, sources say, is being done to facilitate widening of the canal road from Dharampura bridge to Thokar Niaz Beg for catering to the ever-increasing vehicular traffic load in the city.

TEPA officials say the road widening project is at the ‘designing stage’, with environment impact assessment study being carried out at present. But they admit that the study, assigned to the Punjab Environment Protection Department, does not need the marking of trees.

The officials say that a final decision on the future of the trees will be taken in a meeting of all stakeholders where media will also be invited. The stage, they say, will come after a couple of months when all details of the project are worked out.

“We have yet to decide on the number of lanes to be added to the two sides of the canal. Simple shouldering of the existing track is also under study,” say officials requesting anonymity.

The present two-lane road is unable to cater to the traffic load on this important artery, which is serving most of the new housing schemes in the south. One of its lanes is occupied by motorcyclists who comprise 40 per cent of the total vehicular traffic on it.

The EIA study will be comprehensive as it will not only include the damage to the environment owing to cutting of trees but also the effects of the asphalt plant to be commissioned close by for the widening of the road and storing of building material, they say.

More concerned at the marking of a large number of trees are those who reside along the canal. Quoting examples from development works in the US and Europe, they say the widening of roads does not solve the ever-increasing traffic problem. “It rather encourages people to bring more motors on roads,” they say.

The government, they insist, should instead introduce better public transport and take other steps for discouraging the one-man-one-vehicle trend.

Referring to the Punjab government’s slogan of greener Punjab and introduction of environment friendly CNG-rickshaws, they say the removal of ‘lungs of the earth’ does not conform to the official policy. They have urged the government not to slaughter more trees to protect the city environment.