Baliguda: The forest department spent huge amount of money for translocation of scores of valuable trees from a roadside in Baliguda of Kandhamal district in 2019.
But the drive has come a cropper, leading to wastage of money, a report said. According to the report, a road expansion project was undertaken in the Baliguda area in 2019.
A decision was taken to cut down 2,649 trees along both sides of the project. Of them, over 1000 valuable trees were identified for translocation. The effort was initiated by Baliguda DFO Biswanath Nilnabar.
Special machinery and labourers from outside were engaged in the tree translocation drive which cost lakhs of rupees. Various quarters welcomed the initiative to protect valuable trees.
However, it was learnt that not a single tree translocated from the roadside has survived.
Locals said, “The project has completely failed while the fund invested into the plan went down the drain. The money should have been utilised in other development works.”
PNN
