NGT moved, PWD halts plan to shift poles

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, November 21

The attempt of the PWD

(B& R) to get shifted electricity poles from the local telephone exchange road to its sides through the PSPCL has angered area residents as they fear more trees will be axed or pruned to adjust the electricity wires.

On a petition of residents, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed that no tree should be axed without justification. Following this, the PWD and PSPCL postponed the work last evening. Residents have been demanding construction o pedestrian path to save the trees.

“Our telephone exchange road has low traffic so its width is enough. We have submitted a request for a pedestrian path construction as another parallel club road has such a path. But officials are not allowing us to live in peace,” said Harbinder Singh Sekhon, 88.

“The NGT has directed the Forest Department to ensure that no felling of trees takes place without justification. On this road, when we already have the required width for traffic, why PWD officers are adamant to shift poles by endangering full-grown trees?” asked Sekhon.

SE Vipin Bansal rubbished the allegations, maintaining that only poles were to be shifted to the roadside. “We have stopped the work amid residents’ opposition. We will take care of the NGT order and no tree will be axed,” he added.

PSPCL Executive Engineer Varinder Deepak said the PWD had paid all expenses, around Rs 31 lakh, to the PSPCL for the work. “We did not get any information about the NGT order from the PWD. After residents sent me the NGT order last evening, I brought it to the notice of the PWD SE and he asked us to stop the work. The PSPCL has no role as we are only assisting the PWD,” he added.