Blind carnage

YET another instance of mindless
destruction of forests: a pine forest, specially grown at a cost of Rs 10 lakh a
decade ago, will be razed to make way
for a VIP, complex close to the Raj
Bhawan in Gangtok, Sikkim. More than
1,150 conifers, which formed a botanical garden of pine trees, are to be axed.
The conifers were artificially raised to
sustain the delicate balance of the
Himalaya.

The state government's move has
sparked off angry protests from citizens
who have alleged that the government
had not obtained the essential environment and forest clearances. The state
government has reportedly turned a
deaf ear to all protests, even to the environment ministry's query seeking an
explanation for its apathy towards
forests. The state has a poor record in
maintaining its wooded areas.