BK Singh
In the seventies there used to be an exhibition across the government inter college in Allahabad every year during Summers, says Ajoy Bose who then lived in south malaka. It was quite hot in our locality because there were hardly trees in the old city side. But we felt much better the moment we walked towards the exhibition after crossing the railway line through the rail overbridge. One could then feel the great difference in temperature that trees and greenery could bring.
The entire city north was full of shady trees planted during the British rule. They had weatherd so many storms yet managed to survive. There used to be massive tamerine, banyan, peepal and neem trees all along the roads in the entire city north. Cyclones, thunderstorms could not harm them. But we all including the governments killed the trees.
The entire civil lines was green then. Stanley Road, the then Thornhill Road,MG Marg, SP Marg, Clive Road, Drummond Road, Edmonston road, Muir Road had big bungalows with acres of land full of big tress inside and outside. There was greener every where. The oxygen level was also high.
Colonisers in connivance with ADA plundered the area, alleged Bose.
Concrete structures replaced the beauty and fragrance of civil lines.
Maps were passed by ADA in contravention of rules and regulations.
Even the Allahabad high court in one of its orders had labelled ADA as one of the most corrupt department.
Let’s see what the present ADA VC, now (PDA) is going to do after promising before the high court bench to plant ten times more trees after cutting them for road widening.
And what about ensuring the growth and survival of saplings Mr VC ?