Over 10 trees cut down at Borabanda MMTS Station, raising environmental concerns
Hyderabad: More than 10-15 fully grown trees have been cut down at the Borabanda MMTS Station, leading to growing frustration among local citizens. This marks the second such incident at the station, drawing attention to the environmental impact and raising concerns about the fate of the green spaces in the area.
The incident was first highlighted by concerned citizen Krishna Chaitanya, who shared his frustration on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), tagging various government officials and organisations, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and South Central Railway. In his post, Chaitanya asked, “@narendramodi @PMOIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia @RailwaySeva @SCRailwayIndia @gmscrailway @drmhyb @drmsecunderabad Why were some of the #FullyGrownTrees at Borabanda MMTS Station cut down?”
@narendramodi @PMOIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia @RailwaySeva @SCRailwayIndia @gmscrailway @drmhyb @drmsecunderabad Why some of the #FullyGrownTrees in Borabanda MMTS Station are cut?#Trees are one of the best natural resource to tackle #ClimateChange which are badly…
— Krishna Chaitanya 🌳♻️ (@krishna_avs) November 4, 2024
It’s more than 10-15 #FullyGrownTrees.
It’s high time to save each & every #FullyGrownTree to tackle #ClimateChange. pic.twitter.com/DgiFR3SCf4
— Krishna Chaitanya 🌳♻️ (@krishna_avs) November 4, 2024
In a follow-up post, he expressed his concerns about the environmental implications, “#Trees are one of the best natural resources to tackle #ClimateChange, which is rapidly worsening. Over 10-15 #FullyGrownTrees have been cut down. It’s high time we save every #FullyGrownTree to combat #ClimateChange.”
Ashwini, another local resident, also voiced dismay, commenting, “Killing nature doesn’t look good.”
The Vata Foundation, an NGO dedicated to saving fully grown trees, also criticised the incident, highlighting systemic flaws in the way tree cutting is managed. In a statement, the organisation said, “Whatever the purpose, it wasn’t handled properly. These fines are a joke—the culprits often make more money selling the wood. The ‘fine’ route creates a win-win situation for both the offenders and the authorities. The culprits get rid of the trees, and the department collects revenue in the form of fines. In many cases, the trees are not replanted in the same area. This ‘penalty’ approach ends up helping the offenders and not the environment.”
Whatever the purpose its wasn’t done properly. These fines are a joke.. the chaps would’ve made more money selling the wood.
People pushing for fines don’t understand that it ends up with a win-win for the culprits and Depts.. most cases culprits get rid of trees.. Dept gets…
— Vata Foundation (@vata_foundation) November 4, 2024
Speaking with the Hyderabad Mail, Krishna Chaitanya described the tree cutting as “green murder” and highlighted the importance of preserving mature trees. “We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change, and we could be the last generation to do something about it. Saving fully grown trees is crucial to combating climate change,” he said.
The Forest Department responded to the incident, with Hyderabad West Zone FRO S. Laxmi Pathi Rao stating that permission had been obtained prior to the trees being cut down. “Yes, many trees were cut at Borabanda MMTS Station, but the necessary permissions were obtained before the trees were removed. Permission was granted for the cutting of 53 trees,” he confirmed.
