Rashidi beside the trunk of one of the five mango trees that were cut down at the now bare road reserve.

THE felling of five trees at a road reserve in Taman Melawati, Ampang to make way for an underground pipe replacement project had upset residents who claimed that the alignment of the pipes could have been diverted.

Retiree Rashidi Abdullah, 66, said five mango trees planted along Jalan Taman Melawati five years ago could have been saved if the contractors had placed the pipes a few inches away from the trees.

“Why do they have to disturb the trees when they could have placed the pipes somewhere else?

“Some of these trees are planted by volunteers and it takes years for these trees to grow.

“This uncaring act towards the environment has to stop as these trees provided shade,” he told StarMetro during an interview at the site.

When StarMetro visited the place the fallen trees were placed on the other side of the road with a pile of sand that was dug for the pipe replacement project.

Large chunks of tree roots were also dumped at the side of the road.

Rashidi, who witnessed the felling of the trees by the contractors, said such practices must be stopped or else more trees would be harmed.

“The project was not properly planned as they messed up the road which was only tarred last month.

“Some of the neighbours were also unhappy that the trees were cut down for the project,” he said, adding that he had complained to Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) about the problem.

MPAJ public relations officer Norhayati Ahmad said contractors must inform the council if they planned to chop down trees for any project.

“Whether the trees were listed as part of MPAJ property or planted by the public, the contractor must notify the council before they chop down the trees.

“They must replant the same number of trees felled for any project,” she said, adding that MPAJ would investigate the complaint by the residents about illegal tree felling.