Over 60,000 trees to be felled for road widening

HAZARIBAGH (Jharkhand): Union forest and environment ministry has permitted to fell tree on 135.77 hectares of forest land to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for construction of four-lane of NH-33 between Hazaribag and Ranchi on the NH-33, a senior government official said.

An estimated 60,012 trees stretched in the forest land would be felled, he said.

The work, which started last year, could not move further following non-clearance of the forest land required to be cleared for widening of the NH-33, he said.

The clearance, however, was given on the condition to plant trees in 271.55 hectares of land, he said and added the forest ministry had also directed Jharkhand forest department to plant three times of the number of trees to be felled to compensate environmental loss in the region.

The union forest ministry asked the NHAI to plant trees in the middle and both sides of the road after completion of the construction work, and be monitored by Jharkhand forest department.

"In order to compensate, the NHAI has to plant 2,98,705 trees in 271.55 hectares of land," DFO, Hazariabagh, Mahendra Prasad said.