Multiple reports published by the websites claims that around 1000-1200 trees were cut down to build a temporary helipad for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Odisha.
PTI reports Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Balangir, Sameer Satpathy said that several trees were felled near the railway station ground in the district to prepare a temporary helipad without obtaining prior and that an inquiry has been ordered.
According to The Week: Two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Balangir district, a row erupted on Sunday over the alleged cutting of trees to prepare a temporary helipad for a visit.
News 18 reported: Two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Balangir district, and a row surfaced on Sunday over alleged cutting of trees to prepare a temporary helipad.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Balangir, Sameer Satpathy said several trees were felled near the railway station ground in the district to prepare a temporary helipad without obtaining prior permission.
Other Publication including The Logical Indian, Scroll, National Herald, ScoopWhoop published according to the Hindu. The Qunit earlier reported “Hundreds of trees cut to make helipad space for Modi’s Odisha.” On January 15th same article was updated by the Qunit which headline “No Trees Cut for PM Modi’s Helipad During Odisha Visit: Reports.”
The Indian Express, Indian Times few other regional websites also covered the story on the day publishing about the trees being cut down to prepare the helipad for the Prime Minister’s visit.
3500 trees felled in Balangir for His Royal Highness Shri Narendra Modi by his friend @Naveen_Odisha. What a red carpet welcome!
The iconic friendship of Shri Narendra Modi and Shri Naveen Patnaik will be remembered for generations. pic.twitter.com/tClOTC4Drc
— Niranjan Patnaik (@NPatnaikOdisha) January 14, 2019
On the matter, Times Of India have done a fact check, and their report says “Only shrubs and few saplings were removed for the helipad, and no big tree was felled. Our investigation shows that the area in question never had so many trees, to begin with.”
Also, the enquiry done by Railways reveals only shrubs and few saplings have been removed for PM helipad, no big tree was down
Leaves/branches of few trees on Railway land had to be pruned to give full and proper space for helicopter movements.
4. All concerned authorities were a part of all discussions and in greater administrative interest, few plants and shrubs had to be removed.— TOI Bhubaneswar (@TOIBhubaneswar) January 14, 2019
No tree cut to make helipad for PM @narendramodi Balangir visit, only a few scrubs removed, says a East Coast Railway spokesperson, January 7 video prior to helipad making shows there were no big tree on the spot pic.twitter.com/wscoXD99Tk
— TOI Bhubaneswar (@TOIBhubaneswar) January 14, 2019
Also, the satellite image of the area where temporary helipad was build shows that that the area looked same in 2106 and recently as well.
A satellite image of the area where the temporary helipad was build.
A satellite image from 2016 of the area where the temporary helipad was made.
All these facts prove that there were no cut down of the big trees as there were not many big trees at first place. The ECoR spokesperson also told the TOI reporter that some six trees were pruned and around 40 shrubs and few saplings were removed.
All Image Source : TOI
