Bhubaneswar: Resentment is brewing among people living near the Dhauli Peace Pagoda in Odisha over the alleged “indiscriminate” cutting down of trees around it ahead of the golden jubilee celebration of the famed Buddhist monument.
The locals allege that the Odisha government has cut down hundreds of trees on both sides of the road leading to Dhauligiri, as Dhauli is popularly known, for the celebration and for beautification of the Pagoda.
The administration has denied the charges.
Apart from Buddhist monks from across the world, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to attend the main function marking the golden jubilee celebration on Friday.
The world famous Dhauli Shanti Stupa is located on a hill on the banks of Daya river, 8 km south of Bhubaneswar and is surrounded by trees. According to historians the Kalinga war was fought there in second century BC and King Ashoka had won it.
Senior Congress leader and Jatani MLA Suresh Routray squarely blamed the state government and claimed that the trees were indiscriminately cut down around Dhauli hill. Trees were cut even in areas which do not come under the beautification plan, he claimed.
Routray criticised Patnaik as well. “The trees which were axed had been planted during the tenure of the late chief minister Harekrushna Mahatab over 50 years ago. I was then an MLA and had joined the plantation programme along with the students of BJB College in Bhubaneswar”.
Mahatab was the first chief minister of the coastal state.
“Naveen Babu has not planted a single tree in Dhauli area during his tenure as chief minister. Actually, the beauty of the Peace Pagoda lies in its surrounding greenery. It is now lost due to the felling of trees,” the lawmaker added.
Odisha BJP’s Bhubaneswar district president Babu Singh announced that the party will raise its voice against the felling of trees.
Odisha Science and Technology Minister Ashok Panda, who represents Ekamra Kshetra in the Assembly, however, rejected the allegation made by the opposition parties.
“No trees were cut down in Dhauli area, only 30 – 40 trees were trimmed but not uprooted,” he claimed.
Environmentalist Dilip Srichandan claimed that Dhauli was one of the major eco-tourism spots in the state. “Now, the government has cut down the trees. We will take the matter to the Green Tribunal and force the state government to plant at least 10 trees for cutting down one tree in Dhauli area”. The beautification work at Dhauli by the state government includes examination of the structural stability of the Stupa, structural grouting, micro concreting, widening and flooring of the front platform, construction of pavement pathway on both sides of the Stupa, landscaping, water proofing of the Stupa and peripheral site development. Most of the work has been completed.
PTI
