Trees axed at Sangrur Civil Hospital despite stay

Despite a stay by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on felling trees in Sangrur and its surrounding areas, trees are being axed in the Civil Hospital complex these days.

In all, 17 green and dry trees are to be axed for constructing a building for the critical care unit (CCU). The CCU will be set up under the Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

These trees were auctioned by the authorities some days ago for Rs 1,02,100, sources said.

Today, some trees were seen cut on the hospital complex, leading to resentment among environmentalists.

Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of the Civil Hospital, Sangrur, Dr Baljit Singh said the Civil Surgeon had written a letter a couple of months ago to the Sangrur SDM, regarding the trees on the premises of the hospital where the CCU block was to be built. Thereafter, a committee was formed that marked the trees for felling and later an auction was conducted.

Punjab