GUWAHATI: Amid growing concerns over environmental preservation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken to social media to address the contentious issue of tree-cutting around Guwahati's Dighalipukhuri.
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Sarma took to X to assure people of the government's commitment to preserving the city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure projects. He stated that the construction of the flyover from Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati will be conducted with a sincere effort to protect the old trees in the area.
I want to assure you that the government is deeply committed to preserving our city’s heritage and environment while advancing infrastructure. In constructing the flyovers from Dighalupukhuri to Noonmati, we are sincerely working to protect the old trees in the area. I urge all…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 30, 2024
Sarma called on all stakeholders to allow the Public Works Department some time to explore alternative proposals and evaluate their feasibility.
Sarma’s assurance comes a day after over 200 residents took to the street to expressed their worries about the potential loss of these trees, which they claim provide essential shade during Guwahati’s scorching summers and serve as habitats for a diverse species of birds, contributing to the city’s biodiversity. They argue that cutting down these trees would harm the local ecology and reduce Dighalipukhuri’s appeal as a green sanctuary in the city while appealing for a reconsideration of the flyover project around Dighalipukhuri.
