Hundreds of Bhopal residents have joined hands to save over 27,000 trees that they fear would be felled to make way for VVIP bungalows in the city, and are even considering launching a protest similar to the ‘Chipko Andolan’ .

However, a Madhya Pradesh government official said on June 15 that such a plan has not been finalized yet.

For the past ten days, citizens, students and green activists have been campaigning against what they call a plan by the MP Housing Board to build bungalows for MLAs and bureaucrats by cutting down trees at Shivaji Nagar and Tulsi Nagar, one of the greenest places in the world. the city.

Many of them, including women and a BJP MLA, worshiped and clung to trees on June 14 and vowed to protect them.

Neeraj Mandloi, principal secretary of Housing and Urban Development, said no action will be taken immediately regarding the trees.

“It was a concept submitted by the Housing Board to the Minister of Urban Development. There is currently no approval or final proposal with the government. The government is very sensitive to the protection of trees. There is no proposal to cut the trees,” he said.