June 26th 2024.
Sonepur, a bustling town that serves as the headquarters of Subarnapur district, is notorious for its scorching hot summers. The temperatures here can reach unbearable levels, making daily life a struggle. Recently, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come under fire for their decision to chop down 258 trees in order to construct a new bridge. Surprisingly, the proposal has been approved by the Forest Department, much to the dismay of the town's residents.
The locals believe that this move will only worsen the already existing heat problem. They are urging for the trees to be either replanted or relocated to another area. Environmentalists and other residents suggest that there are modern techniques available to successfully transplant trees without causing any harm. They argue that cutting down the trees will only contribute to the rising temperatures, rather than providing any relief. This issue is particularly concerning as it comes just five years after 1,165 trees were cut down for the construction of a four-lane road from New Town Hall to Mahanadi bridge in Sonepur.
The original bridge over the Tel river, which was constructed 51 years ago on NH-57, played a crucial role in connecting Subarnapur with Boudh districts as well as other parts of eastern and western Odisha. However, with the passage of time, the bridge has deteriorated and is in dire need of replacement. The NHAI has accepted the demand for a new bridge and is planning to expand the road from the Tel river bridge to Kunja Square in Sonepur. This also includes replacing the old bridge with a new one. The tender process for the construction work has been completed and the NHAI is now ready to cut down the 258 identified trees. These include big trees like banyan, peepal, Sickle Senna, babool, neem, pongame oil tree, and golden shower, which provide green cover and significantly cool the atmosphere.
The locals are concerned that the removal of so many trees will result in another unbearable summer next year. A local environmental group, 'Green Subarnapur,' has strongly opposed this move and has submitted a memorandum to the District Collector Anya Das and the Divisional Forest Officer Manohar Lal Sharma. They have also pointed out that when the NHAI destroyed over 1,000 trees for the four-lane road, they had promised to plant a large number of saplings in return. However, no action has been taken, and the lack of trees is a major reason behind the intense heatwaves in the district and Sonepur. The residents also suggest that trees that are over 100 years old should be either preserved or relocated, rather than being completely destroyed, as their removal would greatly affect the balance of the climate.
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