ISLAMABAD: Citizens and environment conservation bodies have condemned the unprecedented destruction of 17,000 trees in the capital, which have been uprooted, damaged, or simply sold off.

They have demanded to stop chopping off trees because environment of the federal capital was under threat.

Honorary chairperson of a non-government organization, Subh-e-Nau, Shahida Kausar Farooq, in her statement, said that trees were being cut down to make way for the metro bus route.

Subh-e-Nau is an organisation working against tree cutting and other environmental damages.

Ms Farooq stated that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was not ready to understand that the cost of a single tree was around $200,000.

“According to Professor Das at University of Calcutta, a tree is worth $193,250, which will generate $31,250 worth of oxygen for 50 years, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, curb soil erosion and increase soil fertility worth $31,250, recycle $37,500 worth of water and provide a home for animals worth $31,250,” she said.

“This figure does not even include the value of fruits, lumber or beauty derived from trees. So how much did CDA get out of killing the trees,” she questioned.

Public health physician and environmentalist Dr Jawad Chishti stated that CDA’s media wing confirmed that at least 4,000 trees were cut down by the second week of May.

“As many as 3,500 trees were below four inches in size, but the director also admitted that remaining 500 were tall, mature, and up to 20 years old. These big ones were auctioned and sold away, which is unfair,” he said.

Dr Farrukh Ahmed, a scientist working on climate change and air quality issues, said CDA was the custodian of Islamabad; it was CDA that had helped plant these trees 20, even 30 years ago.

Dr Chishti, while talking to Dawn, said that he and other concerned citizens had been trying to protect the trees.

“I do not understand why projects, which are dangerous to the greenery of the city, are launched one after another in Islamabad. Initially, it was announced that Margalla Tunnel will be constructed and now the metro bus project has begun,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2014