The sight of the tree falling and killing birds in hundreds during the development of a National Highway was heart-wrenching. The incident took place at V.K. Padi in A.R. Nagar Panchayat in Malappuram district, Kerala.
Video
Everybody need a house. How cruel we can become. Unknown location. pic.twitter.com/vV1dpM1xij
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) September 2, 2022
With the footage of this ghastly incident going viral, people in large numbers on seeing the birds crushed to death took to social media criticising the incident.
The Forest Department immediately took action against those responsible for the felling of the tree. Speaking to the media on this issue A.K. Saseendran, the Forest Minister said: “The forest department had not provided permission to cut the tree. Even if they have permission to do it, they are not supposed to cut it when birds live in it. Strict action will be taken against the people who felled the tree under the Wild Life Protection Act.”
A case has been registered against the contractor for felling the tree without permission from the Forest Department while the JCB used to push down the tree was seized and its driver arrested.
The A.R. Nagar Panchayat authorities said they were not informed about the tree felling by the contractor.
