Green lobby concerned at lopping of forest trees
March 19th, 2011 - 5:14 pm ICT by IANSPatna, March 19 (IANS) Environmentalists in Bihar expressed concern over the mindless cutting and pruning of trees from the forests for making bonfires for Holi (burning of Holika) festival.
The burning of Holika, symbolising the destruction of evil, is part of the Holi festival which culminates in splashing of colours the following day. This year the colour smearing will be celebrated Sunday.
“Pruning and felling of trees from forest areas are illegal, but we did not take action as there was no directive from the top,” a forest official told IANS Saturday.
Guddu Baba, an activist, said that some people chop off branches and cut down trees with the full knowledge of forest officials, local administration and police.
“The officials ignore it despite the open violation of forest laws,” said Baba, who has been campaigning to reduce pollution in the Ganga river.
According to Robert Athickal, who runs Tarumitra, a Patna-based organisation to protect and promote a healthy environment, there was need to create awareness among people not to target trees to collect wood for bonfires.
Tarumitra volunteers have been appealing to people to avoid lopping off forest trees for making bonfires, he told IANS.
Arun Singh, another environmentalist, linked the issue with the dwindling forest cover over Bihar.
Trees are our lifeline, he said.
Sambhu Mahto, retired school teacher from Phulwari Sharif near Patna, told IANS that till the 1970s, garbage and other waste, including dry wood, were collected for the bonfires.
“We never pruned trees or cut them. Now the situation is different. People seem to enjoy cutting tress for the bonfire,” he noted.
Gopal Prasad Sharma, a youth leader of the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M)) said that senior political leaders should come forward to appeal to the people not to harm trees for festivals.
According to official data, Bihar has only a fragile 6.07 percent forest cover.
The Bihar government has set an ambitious plan to increase the forest cover to 35 percent within a decade.
Forest officials admit that Bihar lost most of its green cover when the state of Jharkhand was carved out of it three years ago.
The undivided Bihar had a forest cover of 17 percent.
- Trees cut for Holi, green activists despair - Mar 07, 2012
- 4,000 trees in Patna zoo face the axe for airport safety (Lead) - Aug 27, 2010
- Will Patna zoo lose 4,000 trees to airport safety? - Aug 27, 2010
- Bihar to celebrate Holi Friday - Mar 08, 2012
- Trees cut all over Bihar for bonfires on Holi eve - Mar 21, 2008
- On Holi, Nitish dons pink for Badal - Mar 09, 2012
- Students campaign against cutting of trees in Patna zoo - Aug 28, 2010
- Patna airport told to cut trees for safety - May 28, 2012
- Nation celebrates 'Holi' with gusto - Mar 01, 2010
- United colours of Holi splash India (Roundup) - Mar 20, 2011
- Colourful but subdued Holi celebrations in Mumbai - Mar 20, 2011
- Six prisoners attempt suicide in Bihar jail - May 14, 2012
- Hindus urged to take vow on Holi of helping reduce social evils - Mar 16, 2011
- Lalu, Nitish Kumar to miss Holi celebrations - Mar 19, 2011
- Back home in Bihar on Chhath - Nov 01, 2011
Tags: arun singh, bihar government, bonfires, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, environmentalist, forest areas, forest cover, forest laws, forest officials, forest trees, ganga river, guddu, healthy environment, holi, holi festival, local administration, retired school, tress, youth leader