THE Askari housing colonies in Lahore are currently undergoing renovation and upgradation process to improve the standard of living. However, one unfortunate action is the cutting down of a large number of trees; several of them decades old.

This unnecessary measure has deprived the residents of shade and oxygen, but there is more to it than just that. This action will contribute to the harmful effects of global warming and climate change in the near and distant future.

Most importantly, the action of chopping down trees is in contravention of the relevant law that expressly bars all such activities. There is an unambiguous Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict on the matter.

The question must be put to the authorities concerned as to why this act was condoned despite being blatantly violative of the law.

The provincial capital of Punjab has lost thousands of trees due to several infrastructure projects in the last few years. Going by a number of media reports, some 2,500 trees have been chopped down during the cons- truction of various housing schemes or development projects in the city.

This blatant violation of laws needs to stop. And this needs to stop forthwith.

Fadil Syed
Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2023