The 67km highway linking Hyderabad with Mirpurkhas abounds with innumerable full grown trees, planted on either side of it. Some trees are even more than hundred years old. This is the only road in Sindh still spared by the wood mafia.

However, things took a turn for the worse with the start of work on the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Dual Carriageways Project linking the two important commercial centres of the province by replacing the old road.

Keeping in view the significance of mature trees, which obviously take decades to grow, it was decided initially that these old plants will be relocated on both sides of the dual carriageway so that ecology is not disturbed.

Unfortunately, the promise was not kept and more and more trees are being felled by contractors. Unfortunately for Sindh, annihilation of these full grown trees will be another severe blow to its ecology.

I request the Sindh Chief Minister to take note of the matter.

D. M BALOCH
Kashmore