Darjeeling Bose Institute under scanner for ‘felling trees’

Rampant lopping and felling of indigenous trees was going on in the wood that belongs to the Bose Institute. We visited the spot and found it to be true

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 15 Mar 2024, Darjeeling: The Bose institute in Darjeeling where eminent scientist Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose carried out important experiments including those pertaining to plants, is under the scanner now for “indiscriminate lopping and felling of indigenous flowering trees in the premises. 

Federation of Societies for Environmental Protection (FOSEP) has written to the District Magistrate, Divisional Forest Officers, National Green Tribunal, West Bengal Pollution Control Board along with the Director, Science and Technology, under which the institute functions. 

“We had received complaints from many morning walkers, and people residing in the neighbourhood that rampant lopping and felling of indigenous trees was going on in the wood that belongs to the Bose Institute. We visited the spot and found it to be true. Accordingly we have alerted all concerned authorities regarding the same” stated Bharat Prakash Rai of FOSEP. 

“The Management of Bose Institute, Darjeeling has been actively involved in heavy lopping, cutting down of indigenous flowering trees in the periphery of the Institute. They have cut down the branches of Michelia excelsa, Rhododendron arboreum and other species which had just started blooming. 

There is a small patch of forest that harbours many species of birds, butterflies, insects and animals for many decades. It is quite obvious that this small evergreen forest acts as a green sink, lings of Darjeeling town below. 

A good number of natural springs flush downwards from this forest benefitting thousands of people, perennially” stated the letter. The letter expressed concern that the act of indiscriminate lopping and cutting of trees will definitely disturb the existing ecosystem and might affect the spring water system, drying it up. 

“Many birds that are about to nest will be threatened and will be forced to migrate to other places.  This act of destroying valuable forest in such a critical ecological juncture is deemed to be regarded as a cognizable offence as per the Environment Protection Act 1986,” stated the complaint seeking immediate intervention as per the law. 

The Management of Bose Institute could not be contacted for comments. The Bose Institute, Darjeeling campus located on Cooch Behar road, comprises two buildings “Mayapuri” and “Haimavati” along with wooded land. It houses the National Facility on Astroparticle Physics and Space Science. 

The premises were built by the founder Acharya JC Bose himself in 1920 with advice on aesthetics from Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose and others. The institute provides unique research opportunities in the arena of high- altitude science. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/darjeeling-bose-institute-under-scanner-for-felling-trees-556071