Srinagar/ January 23 :- Chairman People's Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Yaseen has expressed concern  over the wanton destruction of forests by felling of about 380 pine tree by a private company assigned  the construction of 14.5 kms long Zojilla tunnel on Srinagar- Leh Highway. He has demanded stern action against the construction company. 

     In a statement issued to "Kashmir News Service" (KNS), on Saturday Hakeem Yaseen has expressed concern over  felling of about 400 pine trees in Nilgrath area   clandestinely by Mega Engineering and Infrastructure Company Limited, in the garb of construction of Zojilla tunnel on Srinagar-Leh Highway. He said most shockingly,  the construction company has not bothered to even intimate the forest authorities nor has the local forest officers on duty taken any preventive measures, untill the company has mercilessly felled 400 pine trees in the area. He demand stern action under law not only the construction company for playing the spoil spot but against the  local forest authorities also who have miserably failed in their assigned legitimate duty to protect forests .Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe said wanton devastation of green cover of such a massive magnitude  was bound to cause an alarming  environmental disaster in the entire kashmir division.   "While undertaking developmental projects, there should be no compromise with the  environment preservation," Hakeem Yaseen observed while urging the government to take all the required measure for preserving natural resources including  forests and mountain ridges  while undertaking construction of the Zojilla tunnel. He said just as mindless cutting of mountains in 

 four Lanning of srinagar- Jammu National Highway has proving  disastrous,  similarly wanton  felling of trees and mountains in the process of Zojilla tunnel construction was be another environmental disaster, if not rectified  in time.

      PDF Chairman has urged the government to acquire most modern technologies for construction of Zojilla tunnel to ensure minimum felling of trees .(KNS)