The National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone, Chennai) has directed the commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to stop the proposed cutting of over 3,000 trees in the iconic KBR Park in the name of Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP).
Considering the report that the proposal may be implemented at any time, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to maintain status quo, which means no tree will be cut, until further orders from this Tribunal and the he NGT has taken up and has sent notices to GHMC commissioner, Telangana chief secretary, secretary and principal chief conservator of forests asking them to reply on the issue.
The NGT has posted the matter to May 5 for hearing and this order has become a reliever for all the residents of Hyderabad who have been staging protest demonstrations and conducting awareness walks against the proposal.
A resident, Haimanti Paul Sarker has told that this movement is an example of what can be achieved through mobilizing public support for a cause. While denizens earlier held discussions and debates only behind closed doors, they are slowly becoming more vocal now.
