Dhenkanal: In order to facilitate the ongoing expansion work of NH-55 in Dhenkanal district, more than 11,700 trees were felled in last five years. On the contrary, not a single tree has been planted in nearby areas of the national highway, a source said Saturday.
According to a forest official, a 60km-long stretch of road starting from Baladiabandha area under Sadar police limits up to Meramundali area under Odapada block on the national highway is now being expanded in the district. As per a government guideline, saplings of double the number of trees felled in forest lands and at least ten times the number in case of non-forest lands should be planted immediately, in order to restore a lost forest cover, the senior official said.
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Accordingly, around 1,70,000 saplings should have been planted on the particular stretch of road where expansion work is underway. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already allocated funds to the Forest department for the purpose, the official said.
Notably, it was earlier targeted to complete the NH-55 expansion work by the end of 2020. It was later extended to September 2021 as Covid-19 cases began surging across the state in the second wave.
Owing to the unusual delay in the expansion work, roadside aforestation could not be carried out along the NH-55 in Dhenkanal district. Many local environmentalists have expressed their deep concerns over the issue.
PNN