Hyderabad: “The tree must have been around 60-70 years old. I am unsure about the exact age but I am certain that it is older than any of the people who tried to cut it,” remarks Medha.
Medha, an NGO worker by profession, also happens to be a resident of the area close to the Bhavan’s Sri RamaKrishna Vidyalaya in Sainikpuri. The distance between her residence and the school is negligible as she can notice the school grounds’ from her terrace.
On Sunday, Medha watched from her terrace as a group of people started chopping down the trees present on the campus premises.
“I studied in the school until my 12th grade and it was heartbreaking. I was shaken up for a good few minutes after the tree was chopped down,” adds a clearly moved Medha.
Soon after the chopping started, Medha reached out to the forest official and cops from the Neredmet police station for aid. The police were able to aid to an extent but Medha remarks that the chopping stopped when she started to take photos of the carnage.
“The men clearly told me that they had the permission of the school. When asked if they had the forest department’s permission, they answered that they did but the reply felt somewhat dubious,” she added.
A day later, on Monday, Ravi, a deputy range officer from the forest department turned up to probe into the matter.
Speaking to Siasat.com, Ravi said, “They have chopped one large and one smaller tree. The measurements for them have been taken and once the calculation is done, the school will have to pay the fine. The fine imposed will be as per the Telangana state forest act of 1967.”
Ravi further added that irrespective of where trees are cut in the state (including one’s own residence), permission from the forest department was imperative.
As per Medha and the forest officer’s testimony, the trees at Bhavan’s Sri RamaKrishna Vidyalaya were silenced to make way for a larger cricket ground.
