Bijnor: In a unique initiative to monitor land grab by locals, the forest department will survey trees that are deliberately dried up allegedly by locals who either pour acid on the roots or set up a fire along its base. The process gradually leads to a slow death of the affected tree.According to divisional forest officer (DFO) M Semmaran, “I have instructed my staff to conduct a survey to ascertain the total number of the trees which have vanished or dried up. We will ask farmers and house owners to inform the department if any tree is found drying up and who is trying to grab roadside forest land.”The department will then issue notices to those who have fields adjoining the areas where such trees have been destroyed. Colonisers or house owners located on the roadside or near forest land will also be held responsible for destruction of the trees. They will be asked for an explanation on why the trees are drying up.The tendency of farmers and local residents to dry up trees located on both side of roads is rampant, say forest officials and environmentalists. Trees can be seen drying up at places where new construction is coming up. A case in point is the destruction of trees on the 10-km Ravali road between Bijnor and city forest on the banks of the Ganga. Hundreds of trees, including mango and jamun trees, along this road have vanished, they said.Talking with TOI, Manav Kumar, a villager of Bakarpur, said, “As the new construction projects are rapidly developing along the roads, trees are drying up and vanishing. It is being done to grab forest land for parking and other commercial purposes. Besides, farmers have also expanded their field’s boundaries by drying up trees. On Ravali road, we can see several dried up trees.”

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