A controversy has erupted over the reported proposal to shift around 64,000 trees — small and big — from Gomti river banks for holding programmes during next year’s Defence Expo.
The issue gained public attention with Lucknow’s Air Quality Index (AQI) peaking at a hazardous level.
As per reports, the stretch from Hanuman Setu to Riverfront along Gomti banks will be cleared for display of defence equipment during the Defence Expo to be held in Lucknow from February 5 to 8 next year.
It is also proposed that once the Defence Expo gets over, new trees will be planted on the river banks.
Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) had asked Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to shift the saplings planted on the Gomti bank elsewhere for organising the Defence Expo. Following this, the LDA asked the LMC to take no objection certificates (NOCs) from Irrigation and Forest departments.
The LDA has also demanded Rs 59 lakh from the LMC for replanting the trees.
Talking to the media, LDA secretary MP Singh said, “Due to upcoming winter season, it is difficult to displace trees and plant them somewhere else. This will ultimately result in the destruction of trees and saplings and hence money will be needed for planting saplings at the same spot. That is why a letter was written to Lucknow Municipal Commissioner in this regard.”
The banks of Gomti river in Lucknow have to be handed over for Defence Expo latest by January 15 next year as the expo is scheduled from February 5 to 8, 2020.
The theme of Lucknow Defence Expo will be ‘India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub’ and the focus will be on ‘Digital Transformation of Defence’.
Government spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi  said that there was no plan to shift the trees.
“As the area around Riverfront on Gomti bank will be used for display of defence equipment, these plants will be taken to nursery and kept there. Once the expo is over, they will be re-planted,” he said.