The enlargement and cementing of Saoner Aamdi Highway No. 753 shows a flagrant disregard for environmental protection. Thousands of trees were taken down for the project, but no effort was made to replace them, raising questions about the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) commitment to sustainability.
A Right To Information (RTI) complaint filed by Sanjay Pofli revealed that more than 1495 trees, both scheduled and unscheduled, were cut down for the construction of the 45-kilometer roadway between Saoner and Aamdi Phata. According to forest department standards, a compensating plantation of 10 trees must be carried out and maintained for 5 years for each tree cut. This amounts to a requirement to plant 14950 trees to offset the project’s environmental impact. However, four years after completion, no saplings have been planted.
The lack of trees has only worsened the problem of pollution. According to Pofli, the NHAI officers’ apathy towards tree plantation is not only shocking, but it also calls into question the legitimacy of the Ministry of Environment’s no objection certificate (NOC).
