‘Why Turn Forest Into Biodiversity Park?’ Noida Residents Protest

Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui
Cameraperson: Rahul Sanpui
Producer: Chandni Sharma

It is an absolute massacre. It is not acceptable by any standards.

Kapil Razdan, Noida resident

This sentiment of anger flows through all the residents of Noida’s Sector 91. On Saturday, the residents marched on to the street to protest against the Noida Authority’s decision to cut down 3000 trees to make a recreational Biodiversity Park.

According to one resident, the tree-cutting activity started 2-3 months ago.

Two months ago, they started cutting down trees from this forest and slyly taking away the wood in trollies in the dark of the night. We enquired, we were told that it was going to be made into a biodiversity park and therefore the trees needed to be felled. 3,000 trees have already been cut, which means the whole north-east of the jungle has been cleaned up.

Vishnu Shankar, Noida resident.

The move has not only angered the residents but also made them demand a justification from the authorities for their decision.

The Noida Authorities said that they planted the eucalyptus trees here 35 years ago because this was a swamp and they wanted the water drained... great! Now they are taking the excuse that since eucalyptus tree affects the underground water table, they are going to cut it. It is a very fine way of distorting an argument. If you are worried about the water table, you would leave the ground alone so that the rainwater that falls can seep deep into the ground...

Vishnu Shankar, Noida resident.

‘Leave the forest alone’. Is all what the residents demanded.

We are basically against the use of cement and tiles and other things inside forest land. Please leave it as a forest.

Siddharth Gupta, Noida resident