HC team begins probe, collects records from Botanical Garden

The committee interrogated Girija Shankar Giri, Additional Director of Indian Botanical Garden on the felling of the valuable trees inside the garden. The authorities explained that the trees were felled for the installation of electricity lines and to develop a flower garden.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by environmentalist Subhas Dutta, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed an inquiry into cutting of tress and asked the committee to file a report by November 28.

The inquiry panel also had a photographer to take pictures of the uprooted trees, which were chopped off for sale. The High Court had asked the committee to ascertain the actual number of trees felled.

The team asked the garden staff to find out how the trees were disposed of after being cut.

Mitra said: “We have taken note of everything. The report will be placed before the court on Friday.”

Dutta, however, said: “Felling of the trees is a major scam. It should be treated as botanical genocide.”

It was difficult to find out the value of the trees and could be done only after conducting tests to ascertain their age. Dutta had alleged in the petition that nearly 100 tress, including valuable teak, mahogani and other trees, were uprooted. Giri said in the court on Monday that the garden had decided to cut 16 trees to develop a flower garden. The trees were auctioned among the employees of the garden, he said.