Another Aarey? Yogi Govt To Cut Down 64,000 Trees For The Defence Expo In Lucknow
The state government is preparing to cut down 63799 trees along the Gomti river for the Defence Expo scheduled to be held in February next year. The land after clearing the trees will be handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL which will be hosting the event. The Expo will be held from February 5 to 8 and will showcase latest arms and weapons available with the defence forces.
Even as Maharashtra¡¯s new chief minister Uddhav Thackeray put a hold on construction of car shed in Aarey Forest, the Uttar Pradesh government is well determined with the plan to cut down 64,000 trees for the Defence Expo to be held in the capital city of Lucknow.
Lucknow is among the top 10 most polluted cities in the country. In fact, Lucknow and Kanpur are currently the most polluted cities in India.
The state government is preparing to cut down 63,799 trees along the Gomti river for the Defence Expo, scheduled to be held in February next year.
According to a report by news agency IANS, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) in a letter, has asked the Lucknow Nagar Nigam to remove the trees from Hanuman Setu to the Nishatganj bridge since various programmes in the Defence Expo will be held here. The land, after clearing the trees, will be handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) which will be hosting the event.
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The LDA further stated that it plans to plant new trees after the Expo is over and efforts can also be made to relocate the trees that are removed from the site.
The LDA has sought Rs 59 lakhs from the Nagar Nigam for new plantation in the area. In his letter, LDA secretary M P Singh has said that they had spent Rs 59.06 lakhs on planting the trees along the Gomti River.
The Nagar Nigam had earlier suggested that the trees could be relocated to another site and new saplings could be planting on the river side once the event is over.
However, forest officials said transplanting uprooted trees isn¡¯t possible in the current season.
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"If relocated, the trees will die. The plants and the landscaping along the river will also have to be redone later," said a senior forest official.
The LDA wants the area to be completely cleared by January 15, 2020 so that the land can be handed over to the organisers.
Lucknow is hosting the Defence Expo for the first time and several delegates from across the world will be a part of the mega show in a display of country¡¯s defence capabilities.
The Expo will be held from February 5 to 8 and will showcase latest arms and weapons available with the defence forces.
