January 18, 2008	Friday	Muharram 08, 1429

SIALKOT, Jan 17: The administration is bent upon cutting a century-old Pipal tree (ficus religiosa) for its obstructing traffic flow in Kutchery Road-Abbott Road junction while locals have vowed to resist the move, terming it detrimental to their acclimatisation with the tree accrued over the years.

The locals are of the view that the tree provided them shade and shelter for over 100 years and its removal or ‘biological killing’ would be shocking for them.

The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) had decided cutting the tree to expand and renovate Kutchery Road-Abbott Road junction (Bohar Wala Chowk) during ongoing remodelling and repair of the city’s two busiest roads.

The TMA’s earlier move to remove the tree did not bear fruit as locals and shopkeepers running businesses in the vicinity resisted it sternly.

Now the locals have displayed posters and banners in various parts of the city urging citizens to collectively help protect and preserve the ancient Pipal tree, which had acquired the status of city’s heritage and had given recognition to the area.

The authorities concerned were, however, of the view that the tree was main hurdle in widening the junction facing mounting traffic density while the locals said that they would not allow officials to “kill” this tree at any cost. In this connection, they have also announced moving a civil court against the Pipal tree’s likely chopping by TMA. —

Abid Mehdi