Why? Asked Dharma’s son, astonished and upset... Why are you cutting down this line of trees dad? Haven’t you taken permission to cut trees on other side of the road? This is illegal, he exclaimed.
My Son, calm down. Why are you worried about it? Yes, the actual road widening is on another side, but with my influence, like every time I can chop all the trees in the vicinity. The road planning is still under discussion and using that uncertainty let me move all trees to our yard, it’s valuable for us and can mint money. I was eyeing this woods from long time.
Dharma was one of the leading road contractor in the city also running timber yard, which was supplying woods for various requirements. He was rich but greedy and never thought second time if any chance of making money arises, even its unethical, illegal. Using his connections, used to cover it up and flaunt his assets and power.
This city had many well grown trees, thanks to the planner’s decades ago, giving a canopy of greenery around the main roads, parks, residential areas. Now it has become the target for people to make money and with context from roads to fallen branches, they were chopped and wood was used.
The main road entering the city was next to a large lake, covering thousands of hectors. The tank bund was dotted with huge trees which gave a perfect driving experiences – canopy of trees, on one side the scenic water front and the highway to drive.
As the city expanded, the need to increase the width of the highway was felt and thus entered the greed Dharma. Though the road expansion was proposed on the other side, he planned to cut down the trees on both the sides and was in the site with his son when he made this objection.
No Dad, don’t do this. This is a beautiful stretch of road we have with hundreds of trees and thousands of birds making it home. Please don’t look this as wood but as life line for those birds as well. Also, do remember, this trees are also protecting the people on the highway, otherwise they may plunge in to the lake and many times we know trees have stopped cars by holding them. This is not fair, let’s not do it.
Dharma was upset with his son, for not having business mindset. He replied, don’t get in to such emotional things, I am here to make money and not serve people. You mind your business, I made mistake by getting you to the site today. Let’s go home now.
Before leaving the site, he didn’t forget to instruct his laborers to cut down all trees by morning, before the news is spread and they obeyed the orders, promptly.
Next day the commuters where tormented to see the left over trunks, pocking out of the soil, reminding them on their past existence. The site was also witness to fallen nests, broken eggs and mourning birds which resembled to screaming at humans. Nevertheless, as usual they didn’t bother much about it and moved on in their life.
The fallen trees were shifted to the timber yard overnight and stocked as woods to be sold in market. Dharma also got the road contract awarded, earning him good money as well.
I am not coming home for two days, I am going to nearby city with beach for a party on winning this new project, I am going alone from here, friends will be joining directly – Dharma informed his family and went driving in his luxurious car, alone.
Just as he was leaving the city, the car lost control and plunged in to the lake directly and by the time public went to save, he was drowned.
The trees, if had not chopped would’ve certainly stopped his car, but now the woods from the same trees stocked in his timber yard are getting ready to be used in the final rites.
Disclaimer: All the incidents, characters, names are fictitious and any resemblance to anyone or events is pure coincidence.
