FARIDKOT, Aug. 14 — The felling of more than 50 fully grown, decades-old trees at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday evening has drawn sharp protests from environmental groups and residents, who allege the removal was carried out without mandatory clearance from the Forest Department.
The medical college, part of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), is now at the center of a blame game over the incident. College officials said the tree cutting was done on the orders of the university, while BFUHS has denied direct involvement.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Rajeev Sood said a five-member committee had been tasked with evaluating the trees and that the decision to proceed lay with the committee, not the university administration. “The committee members were responsible for the action taken,” he noted.
Forest Department officials confirmed they were contacted by the medical college for an assessment but emphasized that no permission was sought or granted for tree felling. “We were approached for evaluation, not for granting felling approval,” a department official said.
The Society for Environmental and Ecological Resources (SEER) led the protest, condemning what it called the destruction of precious green cover in the name of development. Activists warned that the removal of mature trees would harm air quality and upset the ecological balance in the area.
“We demand immediate action against those responsible and strict enforcement of laws to protect urban greenery,” SEER members said, urging the Punjab Government to order an inquiry into the matter.
