A POIGNANT scene unfolded on the streets of the State capital as citizens, ranging from toddlers to senior citizens, hugged trees to protect them from the proposed 10-lane widening of the Ayodhya Bypass. The emotional protest, reminiscent of the historic ‘Chipko Movement,’ comes in the wake of NGT’s interim stay on the felling of 7,871 trees for the 16-km project stretch. The protest was marked by the heart-wrenching questions of children who participated in the movement. Holding onto the trunks of decades-old trees, the young protesters asked, “If these trees are gone, where will we get oxygen to breathe? We won’t let them be cut. The demonstrators also paid a symbolic tribute to the 1,500 trees already razed by the NHAI in recent days.

 

Environmentalists present at the site argued that mass deforestation within city limits is akin to ‘ecological murder,’ given that these trees are 40 to 80 years old. Taking cognizance of the environmental impact, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench comprising Justice Pushpa Satyanarayana and Expert Member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi has ordered an immediate stay on any further tree felling until the next hearing on January 8. While construction activities that do not involve tree cutting may proceed, the removal of any fresh greenery is strictly prohibited. Environmental experts have proposed a middle ground, suggesting that the existing four lane road be expanded to a maximum of six lanes.

 

“A 6-lane expansion would solve the traffic issues while saving thousands of mature trees. A 10-lane national highway passing through the heart of the city is environmentally catastrophic; such massive projects should be diverted outside city boundaries,” activists noted. Experts warned that with 66% of Indian districts already battling severe pollution, Bhopal cannot afford to lose its green cover. They highlighted that rising vehicle emissions and industrial waste are already deteriorating the city’s air quality. The Government’s claim of planting 81,000 new saplings is a distraction.

 

A sapling takes decades to provide the same ecological benefits as a 50-year-old tree. Removing this greenery will lead to an increase in respiratory diseases and other health crises,” a senior environmentalist cautioned. The 16-km project, spanning from Asaram Tiraaha to Ratnagiri Tiraaha, remains a point of contention between development and conservation. While NHAI prepares to present its case on January 8, the citizens of Bhopal have sent a clear message: Development is welcome, but not at the cost of the city’s lungs.