GUWAHATI: More than 100 residents from various parts of Guwahati gathered at Bharalumukh on Saturday, November 9 to protest against the marking of more than 70 trees slated for removal to facilitate construction of a road overbridge. The protesters raised concerns about the environmental impact and lack of public consultation in the decision.
ALSO READ: Guwahati's Lush the Cafe Launches Modern Indian Menu
Talking to GPlus, a Bharalumukh resident said, “Without the public’s opinion, they have started marking the trees. These are age-old trees, and in the name of development, they are trying to cut them down.”
Monali, another resident of Bharalumukh talking to GPlus said, “The trees were marked just before Diwali. How did the government think we would allow this without our consent? We are against this kind of development. They say it’s to ease traffic congestion, but we haven’t seen congestion reduce after constructing bridges. In fact, after flyovers and bridges, we have seen an increase in flooding.”
Residents from different parts of the city, including Zoo Road, participated in the demonstration. One protester mentioned an interaction with an official, who reportedly said the trees were “just marked” but offered no explanation for the future plans.
The residents are demanding that authorities reconsider the decision and explore alternatives that preserve the environment and address their concerns.