Congress attacks BJP govt for allowing felling of 1 crore trees in 5 years

Congress on Saturday attacked government for allowing cutting of over 1 crore trees for development projects since 2014 as party wondered if "BJP is destroying our future".

"Trees are 'life'. Tress are 'oxygen'. Tress absorb 'carbon dioxide'. Trees protect 'environment'. Modi government has cut a whopping 1,09,75,844 trees in past 5 years! (Parliamentary Reply)," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

He also posted Environment Ministry's reply in Lok Sabha that it permitted cutting of over 1 crore trees in last five years for development work.

"Is BJP destroying our future?" he asked.

Responding to a question in Lok Sabha on Friday, Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo said ministry gave permission to cut 1.09 crore trees for development purposes between 2014 and 2019.

Out of total, highest number of trees (26.91 lakh) were cut in 2018-19, he said. Supriyo said data on trees destroyed in forest fires is t maintained by his ministry.