1,574 trees cut down for Metro project sans EIA

Times of India: Kochi: Monday, 10 November 2014.

Information obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act has put the number of trees cut down for Kochi Metro rail project at 1,574 since the work started in 2012.

The trees were felled on the stretch between Aluva and Maharaja's College ground on MG Road.

The Ernakulam social forestry division gave permission to cut the trees on the basis of nine requests made by Kochi Metro rail authorities between February 21, 2012 and September 11, 2013. The information was provided following a request from Kerala Vriksha-Paristhithi Samrakshana Samithi general secretary K Binu. But the permission to cut trees was given without examining the environment impact assessment (EIA) report on the project.

Ten saplings should have been planted in place of each tree felled. But, to a question of if the social forestry department had any information on Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) planting saplings in place of trees, the reply was in the negative.

The tree authority committee, set up by the social forestry department and comprising environmentalists and district officials, had given permission to requests for felling down trees.

But, according to environmentalist S Sitaraman, Metro authorities have only planted 2,100 saplings in place of cutting down 1,574 trees so far.

D Rajendran, deputy conservator of forests in the social forestry department, Ernakulam division, feigned ignorance on the need to examine EIA before giving permission.

"I don't know about EIA. We have no mechanism to ensure that parties who request permission to fell down trees plant saplings in place of each tree and conserve it," he said.

"The EIA report, which the authorities claim to have prepared for permissions to carry out the construction of Metro, has so far not been put in the public domain. It is mandatory to publish the details in EIA. Kochi Metro authorities claim that they have planted 2,000 saplings in the city. But who is going to check it?" Sitaraman asked.

Kochi Metro authorities had agreed to plant saplings on two acres of land in two places each.

But, so far, authorities have not identified places to plant saplings. KMRL authorities also refused to comment on the issue.