Guwahati, Oct 30: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday assured that the public works department would explore an alternative proposal against the plan to uproot century-old trees along the Ahom-era Dighalipukhuri tank, and assess its feasibility.
“I want to assure you that the government is deeply committed to preserving our city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure,” Sarma said.
“In constructing the flyovers from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati, we are sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area. I urge all stakeholders to allow the public works department a few days to explore an alternative proposal and assess its feasibility,” the chief minister said.
The assurance comes amid flak from various quarters and protests against the plan to cut down the trees to facilitate construction of terminal points of the Noonmati-Dighalipukhuri flyover, which according to a Right to Information (RTI) inquiry, would impact as many as 21 trees along west Dighalipukhuri and Tayabulla Road.
Notably, conscious citizens, activists, students and residents among other stakeholders have voiced serious concern at the impending loss of green cover in the area if the trees, some of which are reportedly 200 years old, are felled to pave way for terminal points of the flyover.
Construction of the four-lane 5.05-km-long flyover, the longest in the city, from Reserve Bank to Noonmati, is underway. However, the project sparked concern after a recent change in the flyover’s design, which now includes the Tayabulla Road, potentially threatening the heritage and beauty of Dighalipukhuri.
The concerned authorities had on Monday painted yellow cross marks on several trees along the historic pond on Tayabullah Road, for felling, triggering discontent among various sections besides residents of the area.
Celebrities too have voiced concern on social media against the plan to uproot the trees along the pond, a landmark located in the heart of the city.
“If we break down everything that is old and only focus on building ‘new’, then we will become a historically very young place! We won’t have any history to show, be it old houses or old trees!, singer Angaraag Papon Mahanta posted on social media.
“We travel across the world and appreciate beautiful cities with their greenery and historic architecture! And here we are losing, almost heritage like, more than 150 year old trees to “development” of Guwahati city!,” Mahanta stated.
Retired IPS officer Violet Baruah too took to social media to state, “In an unplanned, deteriorating city, Guwahati, how can true development be achieved by cutting down ancient trees that play a crucial role in the environment? In the name of progress, don’t snatch the very last breath of fresh air.”
