Cutting down trees at Posco catastrophic

As the dust over Posco controversy seems to be settling down, the cutting down of trees for the project has now emerged as a matter of concern for the environmental activists. They are in suspicion that, this may make this area more prone to natural disaster in future.

“More than eight lakh trees like Casuarinas, Jackfruit, Cashew nut and Mango groves, which have been a protective cover during natural disasters throughout ages, will cut down to facilitate industrialization,” says Dr.Bijay Mishra, a environmental scientist.

The State Forest department information also confirms this figure. According to a report of the forest department, more than 2,90,000 Casuarinas trees are found in this area comprising three panchayats. Besides, around five lakh trees including Cashew nut, Jackfruit and Mango dotting the area.

Revenue records reveal, size of the forest area is around 1253/225 hectares out of the total 4004 acres. This forest cover provides protection and livelihood to around five lakh people in the area. Apart from this, the soil is most suitable for the beetle farming on which hundreds of families depend.
 
“This forest provides protection in time of cyclones owing depressions in the Bay of Bengal. During 1999 super cyclone, this forest had stood like shield for the people living in the area,” opines Raghunath Baral, a local resident. It is learnt that industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa (IDCO) has already started cutting trees to make the land acquisition process easy for the administration.

When asked about this issue, Soubhagya Kumar Sahu, Forest Officer of Kujang, clarified that, IDCO obtained the permission on behalf of the Forest department to cut trees in June. We have no role in cutting of trees.
 
Environmentalists feel that such cutting down of trees and groves may usher a catastrophic effect on the area.