Slaughter resumed

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AT AL-MARIOUTIYA: Clockwise from top left: trees destined to be cut; debris at the side of the canal; tractors continue to remove all signs of greenery; a construction site blocks the view

WHILE the cutting down of old camphor trees continues on the shores of Al-Marioutiya Canal in Giza -- the purpose is to make room for a 5km extension of the 26 July Corridor -- the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) has issued statements implying that it has no authority to preserve the greenery.

In a formal reply to Al-Ahram Weekly, the EEAA acknowledged the danger of cutting down old trees. According to the agency, sometimes when the presence of old trees poses a threat to the lives of people or properties, their removal is permitted, but only after attaining permission from the Higher Committee for Planting Trees, Giza governorate, specialists from the Trees Section at the Centres of Research and Universities as well as the Cleaning and Beautification Authority. And a member of the EEAA must be part of any such committee which convenes regularly.

Whether there is any justification for cutting trees for a public project, the EEAA believes that this move should be subject to certain criteria and that "serving citizens" does not justify cutting trees where it can be avoided. If the cutting eventually happens, then the whole location should be re-organised and a sufficient number of trees planted to restore the ecological balance of the area.

As for the incident of Al-Marioutiya Canal, the issue was not presented to the committee and no request has been submitted to the EEAA to examine the environmental effects of the cutting of the trees. The slaughter continues anyway.