POBA for revoking Jessore Road tree-cutting decision

The Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) on Tuesday gave the government a one-week ultimatum to cancel its decision of cutting down 2,312 trees by Jessore-Benapole road, reports UNB.

Leaders and activists of the organisation, along with 19 other environmental and social organisations, gave the ultimatum while forming a human chain at the National Press Club around 11:00am. They demanded cancellation of the decision to cut down century-old trees on both sides of Jessore-Benapole Highway.

The organisations demanded to the concerned authorities to take decision about the cancellation of tree felling, take initiative of correcting the development project proposal and publish the decision in media within one week, said a press statement.

Md Abdus Sobhan, general secretary of POBA said, a total of 4,867 trees will be cut down under the project of upgrading Jessore-Benapole and Jessore-Khulna highways into four lanes.

"There are more than two hundreds of trees which are above 170 years old", he added.

The decision taken on 6 January to cut down the trees is against section 18 (A) of the constitution which says, the government will preserve and enhance the nature for present and future generations and trees secures the eco-balance of nature, claimed the general secretary of POBA.