KARACHI: An 80-year-old banyan tree, declared part of the city’s heritage, was cut down in the premises of government offices located in front of the Sindh Assembly.
The decision to cut the dense banyan tree was made after some of its branches fell onto the office roof, raising safety concerns.
Environmentalists have condemned the move, calling it harmful to the city’s ecology. Citizens also expressed grief over the indifference of civic authorities towards the city’s green heritage.
Experts noted that the number of banyan trees in Karachi has already dwindled significantly. Under the Sindh Plantation, Maintenance of Trees and Public Parks Ordinance, cutting banyan trees in the city is prohibited.
The banyan trees of Clifton are part of an ecosystem of immense cultural and environmental significance.
In the Gujarati language, the term ‘Banya’ is used to refer to the ‘traders or merchants’ who would gather to sell their goods under the generous shade provided by these trees. This eventually led to the naming of this tree as ‘Banean’ by the Portuguese in the 17th century.
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