Sonepur: Subarnapur district is all set to become hotter in the coming days as plans are afoot to cut 3,158 trees for the expansion of the Arjunpur-Binka-Rampur-Dunguripali major district road (MDR). This road incidentally is the lifeline of the residents in the district. The Odisha government has floated tenders of Rs 145 crore in two phases for the expansion of the Arjunpur-Dunguripali road which is approximately 54km in length. The double-laning of the road is underway and that is the main reason why more than 3,000 trees will be cut.
With such huge destruction of green cover, temperatures are bound to rise in the surrounding areas. The trees that are to be cut off have been identified and the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) has started felling those.
Only after the trees have been cut, the expansion of the road will start. The fact, however, is that these trees provided shade over a vast area and kept temperatures cool. Once the trees are cut, a large amount of area will be exposed to the sun and in the process, temperatures will rise and humidity will increase. People will miss the shade, the trees used to offer. The development has sparked concern among the local residents and environmentalists.
With the onset of summer, they are apprehending lengthy periods of acute heat. They have demanded that instead of completely cutting down the trees, they should be relocated to other places so that green cover in the area is still available.
Sources said that approximately 906 trees from Arjunpur to Anga river bridge under Sonepur forest range and 2,252 trees on both sides of the road from Anga river bridge to Dunguripali under Binka forest range will be brought down. Heat waves are very common in Subarnapur district and it is among the hottest places in Odisha.
Last year, Sonepur town was declared the hottest in India. The district has only 428.75 square kilometres of forest cover, which is 18.34 per cent of the total area of Subarnapur. It is very small indeed considering the size of the district.
In the last few years, efforts have been made to increase the green cover in the district through the protection of old jungles and the creation of new ones. Programmes like the Green Mahanadi Mission have been launched. But none have met with the desired results. Green cover continues to be minimal in Subarnapur. Forest fires have also contributed to the destruction of greenery in the district. Now with the decision to cut down more than 3,000 trees, residents of the districts are worried a lot. They feel that the rise in temperatures will be unbearable and affect people health-wise. So they have asked the Forest department to rethink the decision to cut down such a large number of trees.