Mortuary of development
   Date :19-Apr-2025

Mortuary of development
 
 
Staff Reporter ;
 
YEARS ago, at this very same spot, a seed germinated. Gradually, it sprouted. Nourished by time and Nature, it grew into a tree. With time, it grew into a bigger tree. The road closeby also evolved with time, from a narrow road with potholes to thickly tarred highway. And, then, the idea of taking development to next level crossed someone’s mind. A plan was drawn to expand the road, and the old tree was marked as an obstacle. At the same spot now, along the Nagpur-Butibori road, that big old tree’s remains are piled up -- sawed into pieces. How else can one describe the spot, than a ‘mortuary’...? But, this tree is not alone. A few metres ahead, a freshly sawn log of a tree lay lifeless. For the conscious citizens, it marks death of a tree.
 
 
Mortuary of development is this a real development its question mark
 
 
For development planners, the number painted on a carved portion of the log is important -- 201... There are many such trees that have been sawn to pave way for the expansion of the highway for a ‘development’ project. The number of trees eliminated so far has grown beyond 200. One can see barricades placed along the road with letters ‘Khapri to Butibori MIDC ESR’ and ‘Nagpur Metro’. At a place, there is a board with notice painted on it cautioning people to move carefully as the work of ‘Nagpur Metro is in progress’. According to authorities, ‘due permissions’ had been secured.
 
Nothing could be more unfortunate than this. Do the so-called ‘due permissions’ offer compensation for a full-grown old tree’s worth in terms of good it did to humans and other living beings for years? Also, do the ‘due permissions’ guarantee filling up the void created due to sawing of years-old trees instantly? Being ‘The People’s Paper’, ‘The Hitavada’ visited the stretch along Nagpur-Butibori road in scorching summer heat and saw the destruction being caused in the name of development. In the five-km stretch between Dongargaon-Bothli-Mohgaon, trees bearing numbers beyond 200 have been removed from existence. Right from the area along the compound of a restricted facility, to what once offered a green relief to eyes dried up because of summer heat, one can see only stumps of trees. At some places, one can see people from nearby villages collecting small sawn pieces of trees, to be used as firewood. At one place, the cut logs have been arranged in such a fashion that the spot looks like a mini timber depot. At some other places, one can see big pieces lying scattered.
 
The tree trunks cut into pieces are too big to be removed easily. No doubt, as cities expand, need is felt for widening of roads. However, where is the urgent need for punishing the environment in such a brutal manner along the already wide highways? Or, has pouring more cement assumed greater priority than maintaining environmental balance? Of course, these are hard questions. Those speaking loudly in favour of development may be too busy to think deeply to offer satisfactory answers. Besides, the logic ‘out of sight, out of mind’ applies to such ‘mortuaries’ outside the city where lay the victims of development. Whether people choose to become voice of the voiceless, or prefer to keep silence, will decide whether the highways will have trees offering cool shade to road users. Else, ‘greenfield projects’ will be mere tall talk. What actually will keep happening in the name of development is green fields being turned into ‘brown and barren’ patches. At the end of the drive, ‘The Hitavada’ saw a Banyan tree standing tall, offering cool shade, just along the board with letters ‘AH 43’ painted on it. Is this tree the next victim of development? Is a new ‘mortuary’ in the making?