MINGORA: The members of civil society here on Monday demanded of the district administration to remove concrete pavement made around trees on footpaths in Saidu Sharif to save the centuries-old trees.

Hundreds of trees, which were grown during the former Swat stateera on Mingora-Saidu Sharif and College Colony roads, have been cut by the district administration as these died due to layers of cement laid on the roots.

`When the contractor was constructing the roadside cemented shoulders at College Colony and on main Saidu Sharif Road, we informed TMA and district administration but both the departments turned deaf ears to our requests.

Today, I saw about 10 trees cut by the administration after these died, said Iftikhar Ahamd, a resident of Saidu Sharif.

He said that there were long queues of trees in the area during the former Swat state that not only made the environment cool but also beautified the site.The civil society members said that temperature in lower Swat increased owing to cutting of a large number of trees.

`There were many trees outside Saidu Medical College and other areas in Saidu Sharif but today those sites are naked as all the trees fell down one by one when the road shoulders were paved and no space around the base of trees was left open,` said Usman Ulasyar, aresident of College Colony.

The civil society members said that College Colony Road was being used by all officers of district administration but none of them tool( measures to save the trees.

`On the one hand provincial government claims to have initiated billion trees tsunami project nut on the other precious trees are made fallen but no action against the responsible people or departments is taken,` said Abdullah Khan, a resident of Saidu Sharif.

The civil society members demanded of the government toremove cement from the bases of all trees on roadside shoulders and footpaths everywhere in Swat. They said that new trees should be planted along roadsides and footpaths.

ADC Ghulam Said, when contacted, said that he would pay visits to the areas where cement layers were laid around the trees and would direct the officials concerned to remove the cement.

Hazrat Ali, an official of forest department, when contacted, said that soon the sites would be inspected and legal action would be taken against the people responsible for it.