Jalandhar: Trees felled, landowner ready to plant 1,000 mature trees

Jalandhar: After repeated protests and complaints, an agreement has been reached between landowners and Tejaswi Minhas and other environmentalists regarding the felling of trees on the Jalandhar Cantt Bypass Road. On September 28th and 29th, approximately 100 trees were illegally felled on the road, angering activists who wrote to the Chief Minister. Residents also protested at the site. According to the agreement, 1,000 fully grown trees, at least 8-10 feet tall, will be planted in the area and surrounding areas within a 5-kilometer radius, including Kot Kalan, Khusropur, Sofi Pind, and Kukkar Pind. These trees will be provided free of charge by the landowners. Trees such as Arjun, Drumstick, Neem, Tali, Amaltas, and Peepal will be planted, and no ornamental plants will be used. The landowners will fully maintain the trees for one year. Maintenance will include regular watering, weed removal, staking, pruning/grooming of broken branches, and replacement of dead trees. Most of the trees will be purchased and planted around February-March next year.
Upon the fulfillment of these demands, environmentalists and villagers from the surrounding areas have agreed that no protests will be held or complaints will be filed. All parties will ensure the upliftment and protection of the environment. Activists reported that 50 large trees have already been planted at the site, which will soon be protected by tree guards. Environmentalist Minhas, who first raised the issue of the illegal felling of 100 trees by a mall owner, said, “I applaud this move to compensate the landowners for the trees cut down. Punjab has one of the lowest tree cover in the country, and the need of the hour is to conserve and increase the green cover. I hope these 1,000 trees will help improve our environment and air quality. We will continue to oppose any illegal felling of trees and seek everyone’s help in improving our environment.” The landowners said, “We are committed to protecting the environment around our projects and hope to plant and care for many more trees in addition to these 1,000. We will support every effort to make our city greener.” The reforestation work will be overseen by environmentalists and residents of the surrounding areas. Areas for tree planting will be identified around the project site, and saplings will begin planting early next year.