Poplar, willow trees to be cut for roads building in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 17 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered felling of willow and poplar trees coming in the way of construction and widening of several roads in the Pulwama district, an official spokesman said today.

''All those who have grown willow and poplar trees on either side of Pantha Chowk-Lethpora, Pampore-Ladhoo and Simpora-Balhama-Wuyan roads have been asked to cut these within a week's time,'' he said.

The spokesman said these trees have been planted on the Public Works Department (PWD) land and were coming in the way of construction, widening and upgrading of these roads in the Pulwama district by the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA).

An ERA Executive Engineer said the total cost of the entire project of changing the single lane to intermediate roads was estimated at Rs 25 crore.

However, he said no compensation would be offered to the growers as the trees have been planted on the PWD land and were hampering the construction and widening of the roads.

UNI