LAHORE: Up to 45 trees will be uprooted and replanted at some other places for the execution of development projects starting soon after Eid.

Lahore has so far lost 3,000 grown-up trees besides indigenous shrubs, bushes, grass that used to be a source of oxygen for humans, and the natural habitat of animals, birds, underground insects, etc.

“Why are you people cutting trees?” asked a participant at a public hearing by the environment department on Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of three projects to be launched in the city by the Lahore Development Authority.

“And what is your alternate plan after cutting the trees while implementing these projects?”

Another participant also talked about the plan of cutting trees for the implementation of the Karim Block (Iqbal Town) and Gulab Devi underpasses’ projects.

“You people must try to replant the trees to be uprooted after the completion of the project since a plant takes around 20/25 years to grow,” he said.

However, an LDA officer stated the government would not only try to replant the uprooted trees but also plant 10 new saplings against each chopped/uprooted tree at the projects’ sites.

He said the traffic diversion plan would also be issued to keep the traffic moving.

According to the EIA of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train, the project claimed 620 trees and herbs, such as arjun, dhak, mahwa, bahara, alstonia, ashoke, sheesham, alata, kenair, weeping willow, peepal, simbal, berri, sukh chain and poplar. Similarly, the Gulberg signal-free project (Liberty to Shadman Fawara Chowk) consumed 196 trees.

Moreover, the authorities also started uprooting about 1,300 trees, including several fruits for the Canal Road widening project at three stretches. These included 657 trees from Canal View gate to Doctors’ Hospital to Sunflower Society (section-I, both sides), 69 from section-2 (both sides) from Dharampura to The Mall and 575 from section-3 (from Dharampura to Harbanspur). For the Link Canal Road, from the Punjab University land via Kareem Block, 120 trees, a majority of them of mango, were also chopped. Likewise, as 64 trees were also cut off for laying a high-tension transmission line with heavy poles near Jallo along Canal Road last year.

Moreover, several trees were cut for the Firdaus Market underpass project. The Lahore Metro Bus Project also consumed several trees.

However, 1,700 grown trees to be cut down for an expressway project from Gulberg to Motorway remained safe since the government dropped the project from its priority list due to lack of funds and litigation. Also, 60 grown trees, which were to be cut down for Johar Town’s Main Boulevard (Khayaban-i-Firdausi) signal-free project, are intact due to delay on the part of LDA.

“We, with the help of Parks and Horticulture Authority, will plant the trees to other places along the projects’ routes after uprooting them,” LDA Chief Engineer Abdul Razzaq Chauhan said.

He clarified the Sheranwala flyover project would not affect any tree. He urged the people to cooperate with the LDA in this regard since the projects would end traffic hazards and ease public mobility besides improving environmental conditions.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2021