Bhopal contractor allegedly felled neem and sheesham for 10,000 saplings
A plantation drive in Bhopal has caused a stir after hundreds of mature trees were allegedly chopped down to make space for around 10,000 new saplings.
Locals say the contractor hired by the city not only cleared thorny bushes but also took out valuable trees like neem and sheesham, leaving behind only tree stumps in several places.
The move left residents frustrated and questioning the point of planting saplings if it means losing established trees.
Bhopal fines contractor ₹3.5L, launches probe
After public backlash, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation fined the contractor ₹350,000 and launched an investigation to check if officials were involved.
Environmentalists have called out this approach, reminding everyone that preserving mature trees offers far greater ecological benefits than replacing them with saplings, something young saplings can't replace right away.
The incident has reignited the debate over whether plantation drives should prioritize increasing the number of saplings on paper or protecting the mature trees that already form the backbone of urban green cover.