Citizens protest against tree mutilation in Jalandha

Jalandhar: A group of concerned citizens and environmentalists recently met with Dr. Mandeep, the Joint Commissioner for Horticulture in Jalandhar, submitting a memo against the harmful effects of the widespread tree mutilation in the city. The group raised their voice against the recent cases of ‘tree damaged’ in some parts of the city. A member of the group presented the photos of trees and how they were damaged, urging the horticulture officials to take action.

Dr. Mandeep agreed with the group’s proposal and said that a lack of gardeners may be causing workers to prune trees excessively to reduce their workload. She assured the group that the department would address the issue. Besides this, we are ready to save our trees, and such kind of carelessness will be tried to be stopped.

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The group stated the pruning practices damage the environment. Leaves play a critical role in absorbing pollutants and carbon dioxide, which helps improve air quality. “Punjab already has the lowest tree cover in India, and this reckless lopping further harms our green cover, endangering local ecosystems, birds, and insects,” said Dr. Navneet Bhullar, an environmentalist.

Dr. Archana Berry urged the Municipal Corporation to use social media and radio campaigns to raise public awareness about the importance of proper tree care. Dr. Pawandeep echoed these concerns, stating, “Trees are the lungs of our environment, and their leaves are now discarded in heaps across the city.”

In the end, the group asked the residents to intervene, encouraging the public to refer to the Municipal Corporation’s guidelines for minimal pruning when confronting workers to prevent such damage.