Trees felled during govt's plantation campaign

They also staged a sit-in and handed over a memorandum to the district administration for steps against the Zila Parishad's alleged "secret" allotment of the land to the shop owners, who were evicted during the 'operation clean heart" last year.

The land belongs to the Zila Parishad. The trees were planted by VTI students and teachers after taking permission from the Zila Parishad, they said. But these were felled on June 12 by the shop owners, reportedly with permission from the Zila Parishad.

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The VTI authorities also lodged an FIR with the Kotwali thana against the flower shop owners for felling the trees.

An official at the Zila Parishad when contacted told this correspondent that the shop owners were not given permission to fell the trees and occupy the land. But their prayer for allotment of the land outside the VTI boundary wall are under consideration, he said.

The VTI authorities in the memorandum said security of students will be hampered if the land is allotted to the shop owners. The VTI has a large number of female students on roll, it said..