Tree Day

Tree Day has been started in the Indian city of Hyderabad on May 15, 2016 to protest against the government's plans to cut thousands of trees around the KBR National Park.^[1] The Government of Telangana has proposed a Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) under which the entire KBR Park periphery also called the KBR Park Eco-Sensitive Zone will be affected.^[2][3] This will lead to a significant impact on the flora and fauna of the park that houses more than 600 species of plants, hundreds of species of animals and birds. Tree Day was organized by a group called "Hyderabad Rising", a group of non-partisan, non-political nature lovers who came together for a small protest rally in the last week of April. This gradually started taking shape of a movement, with hundreds to thousands of resident citizens of Hyderabad joining.^[4][5]

Tree Day, a term inspired by Mothers Day, Teachers Day and Father's day was coined by Hyderabad Rising. Tree Day was organized with the objective of bonding with the trees by hugging them, watering them, tying the sacred Indian thread on them and taking selfies with them.^[6] The event saw participation from runners, walkers, yoga enthusiasts, tree lovers, nature lovers, environmental conservationists, city planners and transport consultants. All of them have questioned the Government's move to cut so many trees for road widening and flyovers, when planners such as Peter J. Park have asserted that flyovers do not solve traffic problems.^[7] The participants urged the government to adopt sustainable development policies.

Environmentalist Prof. Purushottam Reddy noted that "The People of Hyderabad have set a precedent and made history by standing up for the trees in the city and have also introduced a - Tree Day - which people across the country can now celebrate every year".^[8]

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