A tree-cutting incident at Belonia JB School in South Tripura has triggered a controversy after the acting headmistress claimed that authorities removed several mature trees despite her request being limited to pruning branches and felling only two hazardous trees.
The administration, however, said the work was carried out following a requisition from the local councillor. The incident has drawn wider attention after a Class III student asked, “Madam, how will we breathe if all the trees are gone?”, even as the country continues its ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ tree plantation campaign.
Quick Glance
- Tree-cutting at Belonia JB School has sparked controversy in South Tripura.
- Acting headmistress says she sought pruning and removal of only two hazardous trees.
- SDM says the Forest Department acted on a requisition submitted by the local councillor.
- The exact number of trees removed has not been officially disclosed.
- A Class III student’s question has intensified the environmental debate.
- The incident comes amid the nationwide ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation campaign.
What triggered the controversy?
Belonia/Agartala, August 07: The dispute centres on the extent of tree cutting inside the premises of Belonia JB School, formerly known as Belonia Model School.
The campus once had mature agarwood, mahogany, neem, Nagkesar and jamun trees. Following the recent operation, several of those trees have been removed, leaving behind stumps across parts of the school.
The exact number of trees felled has not been officially disclosed.
Headmistress: ‘I sought pruning, not extensive tree-cutting’
Acting Headmistress Mousumi Ghosh Pal said she had raised concerns about overgrown branches that were blocking sunlight and damaging the school roof.
According to her, she requested only the removal of two trees—a dead neem tree and a Jam (Indian BlackBerry) tree that posed a safety risk. She also asked officials to prune branches from the remaining trees, especially those touching the roof or hanging near electric lines.
“I never asked anyone to cut all the trees,” she said.
She claimed officials later informed her that an application seeking permission to cut trees had been submitted. She denied filing any such application and asked to see a copy.
According to the acting headmistress, the application was later shown to her and had allegedly been submitted by local councillor Deepa Bhowmik, who also serves as Chairperson of the School Management Committee.
She said she immediately contacted the councillor, who confirmed submitting the requisition.
‘I returned to find several trees gone’
The acting headmistress said Forest Department personnel visited the school and conducted measurements before the operation.
The Headmistress claimed she again informed them that only two trees should be removed while the remaining trees only needed branch trimming.
The work took place when the school was closed and the acting HM was in Agartala. Workers collected the school keys from the school cook after speaking to her over the phone.
“When I returned, I was shocked,” she said.
According to her, several mature agarwood, mahogany and Nagkesar trees had been cut.
She said workers later told her that the trees had become hollow and therefore had to be removed. However, she maintained that she had noticed such damage only in the Jam tree and in no other trees. Visuals obtained from the spot also support her claim.
Concerned Councilor was not available and her side of the story remains unknown.
Administration cites councillor’s requisition
The administration has presented a different version.
Speaking over the phone, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) said the Forest Department carried out the work after receiving a requisition from the local councillor.
The SDM also said there is no proposal to construct a new building on the school campus. Then why all the valuable trees were felled, asked the locals.
According to the official, the councillor identified the trees proposed for removal and measurements were completed before the operation began.
The differing accounts have raised questions over the communication between the school authorities, the School Management Committee and the administration.
A child’s question captures the public mood
The controversy gained emotional momentum after Purubi Das, a Class III student, reportedly asked her teacher:
“Madam, if all the trees are cut down, how will we breathe?”
The acting headmistress said several students expressed sadness after seeing the trees disappear from the campus.
She recalled that some children told her they had lost the shade and greenery they had grown up with.
The student’s question has since become the defining moment of the controversy, resonating with residents and environmental observers alike.
Campus maintenance issue also surfaced
The acting headmistress said she had separately requested cleaning of the overgrown grass inside the campus because it could become a habitat for snakes.
She said she had even sprayed weedicide herself, but rain reduced its effectiveness.
She later sought the councillor’s help to clean the school grounds.
According to her, the request to improve campus safety eventually resulted in a dispute over tree removal.
Green debate amid ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign
The Belonia school controversy comes at a time when governments across India are encouraging citizens to plant trees under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
The initiative promotes planting a tree in honour of one’s mother and aims to strengthen environmental conservation across the country.
Against that backdrop, the removal of mature trees from a government school campus has prompted debate over balancing safety requirements with the need to preserve existing green cover.
The incident has also revived discussion on whether pruning, scientific assessment and selective removal should receive greater priority before mature trees are felled.
Questions remain
Officials maintain that the tree-cutting followed due procedure.
The acting headmistress insists that the work exceeded what she had requested.
The exact number of trees removed has not been made public. Nor has any official document detailing the approved list of trees been released.
As authorities and school officials present differing accounts, one question continues to dominate the conversation in Belonia.
It came not from an official file or a public meeting, but from a Class III student:
“How will we breathe if all the trees are gone?”
