The Indian Botanic Garden in Shibpur has yet to open its doors to the public.
Despite the state government’s permission to open parks and gardens, the botanic garden has remained closed, officials said, because of the repair work going on in the garden. The garden has been closed since the first week of January.
“We will reopen the garden on February 10,” said Botanical Survey of India director A. A. Mao. “Presently, some repair work of the roads is going on. The bitumen top is being relaid. So, we are now not allowing visitors inside the garden.”
The Morning Walkers’ Association, a group of Shibpur residents who use the garden for their morning exercise, is up in arms against the garden authorities for keeping it closed for this extended time. The association members have staged protests outside the garden gates and alleged that rare trees are being felled.
Mao said the garden was being cleared after Cyclone Amphan damaged more than a thousand trees.
“When we walk in the garden we keep an eye on what is going on. With the garden closed no one knows what’s going on inside,” said a morning walker.
Most of the felled trees had been lying in the garden since the cyclone because of a lack of personnel during the pandemic. Overgrown weeds and fallen branches have been cleared, fresh plantations have been done, ponds are being cleared, the garden authorities said.
A mangrove variety, Swietenia humilis, that was felled by Amphan, was cleared by the authorities, raising the shackles of the green watchers. Mao clarified that a new sapling of Swietenia humilis had been planted in its place and another tree of the specie lives in the garden.
“It is not possible to replant every fallen tree. We replanted the Baobab tree for a cost of Rs 1 lakh. Besides, not all replanted trees survive,” said Mao.