Hyderabad: Over 100 nature enthusiasts gathered at the AFOCHS Sainikpuri children's park on Sunday morning, responding to a call for action to preserve the green cover in the area.
The event, inspired by the Chipko movement, saw participants vowing to halt cutting and indiscriminate pruning of trees and opposing the conversion of public parks into private play areas.
Manognya Reddy narrated an incident where a 50-year-old peepul tree was sought to be bulldozed to build a private tennis court. The community got the society to stop the proposed move.
A proposal for an archery practice ground at the crossing of 1st Avenue and 1st Crescent Road by destroying green cover raised concerns about the conversion of GHMC parks into commercial spaces.
Despite initial skepticism, residents wrote to GHMC commissioner Ronald Rose on December 22, seeking his intervention.
"The forest department, including the chief conservation officer and deputy director of biodiversity, visited the site on January 4. They condemned the felling of trees, imposed fines on those involved and halted the ongoing work," she told Deccan Chronicle.
The residents are advocating compensatory replanting of trees to ensure that the designated numbers would be planted. They opposed leasing park areas for private use. Residents also wanted a GHMC garbage unit away from residential areas and restoration of footpaths.
