Animal lovers and environmentalists with placards, protested today against the excessive trimming of trees on Rishra station platform, rendering hundreds of birds homeless and many dead.

Trimming of trees on different railway station platforms is a routine work followed by the railways. The trimming is usually done keeping in view the safety and security of the passengers on the platform as well as to prevent any over growth of the branches coming in contact with the overhead high-tension wire. It has been noticed that during heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, tree branches break, causing disruption in train services.

The private contractors are usually entrusted with the work to trim the trees as per the guidelines issued by the railways, to only trim or cut down overgrowth, which pose danger to the passengers on the platform and to maintain a good distance between the branches and overhead high-tension wires. However, the contractor entrusted with the job on the Rishra station platform, defying the guidelines issued to him, indiscriminately cut down trees, destroying the tree canopy. The trees on the platform provided a safe habitation to hundreds of birds and with the destruction of the tree canopy, are now rendered homeless, with many dying and the eggs destroyed.

After being informed, the forest department rescued many birds. But despite their efforts, many still lay trapped and many dead in the collected heap of cut down branches and leaves. It is a painful sight to find birds in great distress, searching for their young ones and eggs.

The Eastern Railway PRO Kausik Mitra said, “The contractor has not carried on his work as per the issued guidelines by the railways. Trimming of the trees has to be carried out without destroying the tree canopy, however the matter will be looked into.”

The secretary of Home and Hospital for Animal Welfare Association, Goutam Sarkar said, “We have submitted a memorandum to the Rishra station manager demanding to lodge a FIR against the contractor and the railway official entrusted for the supervision of the trimming of the trees.”