LAW KUMAR MISHRA
PATNA: Over 2,000 trees in Putki coal mining area of Dhanbad got a new lease of life as villagers launched Chipko movement and prevented the Bharat Coking Coking Coal LImited(BCCL) from cutting old trees.
Women and children of the area started Chipko movement on Tuesday and they have been gathering in the forests every day since morning to prevent destruction of trees.
The Paryavaran Bachao Sangharsh Samiti spearheading the Clinging to trees movement said the BCCL has been sending cutter machines daily to cut trees,which according to them were their friends .
The BCCL has planned to cut 1705 trees and translocate 329 trees to start open cast mining in Putki ,where 75 hectares of land is required .BCCL estimates to produce 3.15 lakh tons of coal every year from Putki open cast mines.
BCCL has assured to plant ten times more trees after destruction of trees under the compensatory afforestation scheme.Divisional Forest Officer,Vikas Paliwal held meeting with the general manager of BCCL,Arun Kumar and project officer,P K Verma and directed them to ensure compensatory afforestation immediately.