The Uttarakhand government is planning to transfer of 243 acres of forest land to the Airport Authority of India for the expansion of Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport, reports India Today. Currently, they are waiting for approval from the National Wildlife Board. The prescribed area of the forest falls within a 10 km radius of the Rajaji National Park Eco-Sensitive Zone.
If the National Wildlife Board accepts the proposal to expand the airport, over 10,000 trees would be axed down in the process. Environmentalists and activists pointed out that it would affect wildlife movement in the elephant corridors as well as the region’s eco-diversity.
Hundreds of locals came together to protest against the proposal and recreated the ‘Chipko Movement’ of 1973, reports The New Indian Express.
12-year-old global climate activist Ridhima Pandey, who is known as the Greta Thunberg of India, said, “We are hell-bent on destroying our ecosystem mercilessly. This is a threat to the whole of mankind. These forests are the source of life. We will be protesting against the felling of trees until the decision is reversed.”
People tied ‘Raksha Sutras’ around the trees and swore to protect them.
Have a look at the pictures and videos from the protest:
Concerned citizens have come together to oppose the proposed felling of nearly 10,000 trees for the planned expansion of Dehradun airport. It is a part of the Rajaji National Park & it also falls within 3kms radius of notified elephant corridors. #SaveThanoForest@RichaChadha pic.twitter.com/lef5S4OGZn
— Ketan Nardhani (@ketan83) October 18, 2020
Protest erupts in #dehradun against the Jolly Grant Airport expansion project.#SaveThanoForest #SaveThano pic.twitter.com/kbMAPk4PPN
— Youth For Climate India (@Youth4ClimateIn) October 18, 2020
Uttarakhand: People staged protest outside Dehradun Airport today, against the proposed felling of over 10,000 trees for airport expansion (ANI) pic.twitter.com/ysYuoPtSUP
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) October 18, 2020
Protest against the cutting down of 10000🌲243 acres of forest land of thano in the name of "development" of Dehradun airport.#Uttrakhand
This is the Power of comman man.
Protest conducted by the comman man & NGO'S of uttarakhand.@makeadiff & himalayan putra.#SaveThano #Dehradun pic.twitter.com/UZZPs4o65l— satyam bhatia (@Satyambhatia07) October 18, 2020
Dehradun: Locals staging protest against proposed tree felling in Shivalik Elephant Reserve for Jolly Grant Airport expansion pic.twitter.com/gcUbOc9hJZ
— TOI Cities (@TOICitiesNews) October 18, 2020
The pictures are from the protest done by the people of Dehradun and Rishikesh against felling of 10000 trees of Thano Reserve Forest to make way for airport expansion.#SaveThano #SaveThanoForest pic.twitter.com/r4TxPDUR8h
— Bhrigu K (@bhrigster) October 18, 2020
10,000 Trees May Be Cut For Expanding Dehradun Airport. #savenaturesavefuture #SaveThano #Dehradun #Uttarakhand #SaveThanoForesthttps://t.co/ufKzSYd6Zy pic.twitter.com/m9EOlHKKfe
— Manish Tiwari (@manisht008) October 18, 2020
#savethanoforest #SaveThano #savebiodiversity #ClimateChangeIsReal #ClimateActionNow Today we all did a strike and a significant Chipko movement at jollygrand airport road to protect the 10,000 trees at thano forest and the elephant corridor… @tsrawatbjp @moefcc pic.twitter.com/7O91mq8IyN
— Ridhima pandey (@ridhimapandey7) October 18, 2020
How shameful it is to think that after witnessing rising temperature, melting glaciers, water crisis, massive flooding, etc. the government will still propose to cut down a forest!