Visakhapatnam: Andhra University began cutting and uprooting scores of trees at its Engineering College grounds here on Friday to create more space for a public meeting to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12.
Security aspects were also in mind in the decision to cut the trees and also clear the ground of the weeds and bushes, according to varsity authorities.
“We have asked the forest department to prune and cut trees and shift some of them to other places, for security reasons,’’ said Registrar Prof Krishna Mohan.
When contacted for comments, district forest officer Ananth Shankar said he had received an application from AU to make the ground suitable for the PM’s meeting on the Engineering College grounds.
“We have not given any permission for this. A range officer conducted a survey and enumerated the trees. We will accord permission as per WALTA Act,’’ the DFO said.
However, hectic activity was evident for the entire day on Friday at the college grounds. Several trucks were in a wait to transport wood of the cut trees. “There will not be much greenery left,’’ students of the engineering college rued.
Earlier, Jana Sena leader and GVMC corporator PLN Murthy Yadav filed a writ in the high court, seeking action against AU for cutting down the trees and filling water bodies in an extent of 70 acres in the ground opposite to the engineering college.
The HC, on August 26, issued notices to Vizag collector, registrar of AU and GVMC commissioner directing them not to fill any natural water body and to retain the character of the land till further orders.
Yadav alleged that over 1,500 trees have been cut down in 70 acres, in violation of WALTA Act, in the northern ground. The HC will hear the case on November 21.
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