The All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA), strongly condemning the cutting down of Bottle Brush tree inside the Cheirap Court complex, held a protest on Monday in fron of the court complex in Imphal. The tree is said to be about 50 years old.
Speaking to the media, AMBA secretary L Jonny Meitei said that the bottle brush tree growing inside Chierap Court complex was cut down on August 27 without informing any authorities of the court. It was the fourth Saturday which was a holiday for the court and there is no written report or notes or information for cutting down the tree, he said.
After learning about the cutting down of the tree, AMBA conducted a meeting and took resolutions to hold protest, to enquire about the purpose of cutting the tree without giving information and to find out who cut the tree, he said.
The meeting resolution was also submitted to the Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur with a prayer for conducting enquiry, he added.
When they enquired with the forest department, the department too did not have any knowledge about it. Even the forest department officials visited the complex and informed that they have no knowledge about cutting the tree, he said.
AMBA president Tomcha Meitei said that the state government has started tree plantation for saving the environment, but the old tree growing inside the court complex was cut down without informing any authority. He expressed the hope that the enquiry will be conducted soon.
Members of AMBA did not perform court work on Monday.
