Over 6.51 lakh trees chopped off in Gujarat in 5 years

Environment is not safe under Gujarat government. This is because over 6.51 lakh trees have been chopped off in Gujarat in last 5 years.

The Gujarat government had given permission to cut over 9.74 lakh trees across the state between 2013 and 2017, data submitted to the state legislative Assembly showed. During this period, as many as 6.51 lakh trees were actually felled across the state, mostly in south Gujarat.

The government has steadily become less strict over tree felling, having granted permission to cut 1,94,119 trees in 2013 and raising the limit to 2,07,974 in 2017, a rise of 7.14 per cent. This data was tabled as part of a written reply by the state’s Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava in response to an unstarred question asked by Chandrikaben Baria, Congress MLA from Garbada Assembly constituency, in September 2018.

Most of the permits pertained to tree felling in the districts of Valsad, Navsari, Surat, and Dang, amounting to 46 per cent of number of permits given across the state.

Valsad district topped the list of districts in which permission was granted to cut down trees (1,41,145). The other districts in south Gujarat like Navsari (1,16,559), Surat (1,03,896) and Dang (84,963).

In the upcoming bullet train corridor, more than 51,000 trees are expected to be felled, mostly in south Gujarat.

Courtesy: indianexpress.com