'Massacre' of trees in Cairo triggers national uproar

Cairo's Jamaat El Dewal El Arabiyah road, a bustling night-time hub filled with tourists and locals alike, has become a site of outrage following the removal of its majestic trees. These trees, once providing much-needed shade during the Egyptian capital's sweltering summers, have been felled to make way for wider roads, new overpasses, and buildings.

The removal of these ancient trees, some of which are over a century old, has sparked a national uproar, with critics dubbing it a "massacre" and condemning the loss of the city's precious greenery.

Environmental activists argue that the felling of these trees squanders an environmental value that cannot be easily replaced with younger trees. The government maintains that the trees were necessary for development, but critics believe that better planning could have preserved these valuable resources. The motive behind the removal of these trees has been questioned, with some suggesting financial gain as a possible reason.

The government's plan to plant 100 million trees nationwide is seen as a response to the outcry over the tree removal.

The incident has also raised concerns about the government's commitment to environmental conservation, especially in light of the country's vulnerability to climate change. The felling of so many trees, especially at a time when the nation is in the midst of a construction boom, has been documented by individuals, activist groups, and NGOs on social media platforms.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has intervened to defuse the crisis, ordering the transformation of all open spaces in Cairo into green areas and promising to increase the number of trees and protect them. The Ministry of Environmental Affairs has also taken steps to ensure that trees are not felled without written permission from the provincial governor.