It is shocking to say that after series of environment friendly programs introduced by State Government, local NGOs and Forest Department in past many years, few of the Udaipur’s administrative residences are known to be one of the most unsafe places for green trees.

Nearly, half a dozen of such incidents have been noticed where green trees were cut, ripped or damaged for whatsoever reasons, in some government official’s residences.

An employee at Divisional Commissioner’s Office has been warned today by Tehsildar and area Councilor after the officer allegedly tried to harm the tree located in the premises of his house at a posh green colony.

The bark of the tree was partially ripped off and the bottom part was burnt. However, the officer and his family deny the charges and said that the tree is impeding sunray in house and they asked Div. Commissioner to cut the tree. When UT tried to reach Div. Commissioner Subodh Kumar Agrawal, he was engaged in a meeting and was not able to comment on the issue.

Senior officials from Tehsildar’s office also came and witnessed the situation, they warned the alleged accused not to touch the tree again, as it is a government property and ripping off bark is considered as intentionally harming the Public Property, and a case would be registered against him if he continues to do so.

After a short survey of the area, in the neighboring PWD campus, near Excise Office, two more huge trees were being cut down by some unknown people. Besides this, a lot of Sandelwood trees are stolen from various government residences in last five years.

Dr. Satish Sharma, a well known wild life and forest conversant said, “ After ripping off the bark the tree will surely die as the food processed in the leaves will not reach the roots and slowly the plant will die. This practice of drying trees has been adopted in most cases as the house or plot owner thinks that the tree is an obstacle in their premises and cutting a green tree will put them behind bars, so first they dry the tree through this process and after the tree has dried, they could cut it claiming the tree is dead.”

Environmental Studies tell us that a person uses per day oxygen worth Rs. 700, that means in an year a single person will consume oxygen worth Rs. 2.5 lacs, still these tress do not ask anything from us, except their security. But, day-by-day even well cultured and educated people are carrying out acts which can’t be regarded environment friendly.

Trees have been called the structural elements of the ecosystem and are attached to the livelihood of each and every type of organism in some way or the other.

What to do if you see a dying green tree in your neighborhood

“Trees are Government property and trees in urban areas come under Tehsil Department, not under Forest Department, so soon as the matter of cutting of tress comes to the knowledge of any person they can inform the Tehsildar regarding this matter.”, said City Patwari Devendra Mod.

Question arises that if green trees are unsecured at Government quarters, then what about the rest of the city?