Tree conservation and plantation

Trees are every important part of the environment acting as the natural habitat for a multitude of creatures. Besides spearheading campaigns against tree felling, VNC collaborates with other NGOs to raise awareness and organise tree plantation drives.

Vallabh Vidyanagar; a unique educational complex town established by Late Shri Bhaikaka, with Blessings of Shri Sardar Patel, Bhaikaka was an engineer of legendary fame and visionary, he made this dream come true township an reality, all equipped with well planned roads, schools, colleges, hostels, shopping areas, residential colonies play areas. Also he planted avenue trees on all roads as such that there is always some shade on road at any given time of year. The real uniqueness of our town is in its smallness and its greenery. Like one can say an ideal town with all facility of city, all freshness, peace and tranquility of a village. It shall be noted that Vidyanagar has largest colony of Parakeets in India, which is due to varieties of trees in town.

Now after fifty years of its existence some residents and non residents of town are demanding widening of its main road which at present is of sufficient width, for which they intend to cut trees on both the sides (126 trees out of 400 trees on the roadside), which in turn is opposed by many residents of city along with environment lovers, Mahila mandals, Principals, Teachers, students, NGO’s working for trees plantation and betterment of our town, many senior citizens and many prominent personalities. More than 8500 citizens & students have given their signatures to stop this destruction in the name of development. Eventually Public interest Litigation (PIL) was filled in High Court of Gujarat by Dhaval Patel Managing Trustee of Vidyanagar Nature Club, and a stay order was obtained against tree cutting wherein the Intellectual Honorable Chief Justice Supported the cause of environment conservation and issued notices to various government departments and local government; legal battle is going on since 2001, although our leader Dhaval Patel and all of us at Vidyanagar Nature Club are determined to avert the cutting of any trees, we would appreciate support from other organizations and individuals.

Meanwhile are still combating tree felling on other roads, as there are numerous incidents of felling of roadside trees in town by the builders of commercial complexes (so that their property has better view from road), by the Electricity Suppliers (previously GEB now MGVCL) as they erroneously assumes trees as their enemies. In last one year more than 30 trees were felled and nearly 60 trees were brutally damaged, by the support of local government.

We request your help and support in our fight to save our Natural heritage, our uniqueness, and our clean and green environment. Please write us your letter of support, write your opposition to government, PWD, and administrator of Vallabh Vidyanagar, and tell them to address the root of problem not the roots of trees, you can also join us as a co-petitioner in High Court. After all Destruction takes lesser effort than Construction, it takes Generations to grow Trees but takes few minutes to bring it down, so please put in your all effort to save Trees.

Suggested solution and rationale:

With passing of time now Vidyanagar has far more population than it was in initial era, also traffic on road has increased, but there are ways to solve these problems. But our local leaders lack will & wish to address the problem to its root. They forget that these life giving trees are also boon to all those who walk on road all who go on two wheelers & cycles, they are comfortable in summer heat of Gujarat just because of Trees. Those handfuls supporting cutting of trees are people traveling by air-conditioned cars for which heat is not existing, it for their convenience they want wider roads so that they can speed their cars, but here they are forgetting that there are 4-5 major primary schools on road of which more than 5000 students use the road in short span, and if there is wider road people will tend to drive faster and resulting in accidents. There are many suggestions, from all of which some are given below,

- Roads can be expanded, minimum 3-4 feet on both the side without cutting any tree at any given point.
- There should be proper parking and no halting zones to reduce pressure on road.
- Encroachment of Hawkers on footpath shall be removed from road.
- A uniform footpath and cycle track shall be provided and proper implementation shall do.
- Electric poles shall be removed from middle of road and inverted “L” shape poles can be placed.
- Heavy vehicles shall be diverted to other roads.
- Traffic on road shall be allowed one way for 1 hour two times a day during rush hours.

Thanking you and anticipating your support in spreading our message to larger audience,