More than 100 students from a private school in Pauri, Uttarakhand, staged an unusual protest outside the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) office, carrying drums and a band to highlight concerns over dangerous trees along their daily route to school. 

The students said the trees have remained a safety concern for nearly a year and called for their removal before they could cause an accident. The protest was aimed at drawing the Forest Department's immediate attention to the issue. 

The route is used regularly by schoolchildren as well as pedestrians. According to the school management, the hazardous trees could fall and put the lives of commuters at risk, prompting students and teachers to demand urgent action. 

Students Take Drums to DFO Office Over Safety Concern 

The students gathered outside the Forest Department office in Pauri and beat drums to make their concerns heard. Their protest came after what the school management described as a prolonged wait for action on the dangerous trees. 

The school claimed that repeated communications had been made to the Forest Department and district administration regarding the issue. However, according to the management, the matter had remained unresolved. 

The principal said, "I have been communicating about this since August 8, 2025. I even gave a letter to the Honourable Chief Minister, to the District Magistrate, to the Forest Officer of the Forest Department, to the Polytechnic. When I became frustrated with everything, when I couldn't get any result, and no trees were cut, then, keeping in mind the safety of the children, I had to come here. They have said that it will be cut before the 30. It could also be cut today or tomorrow." 

Three Pine Trees Identified as Dangerous 

The safety concern centres on three pine trees located above the school, according to DFO Mahatim Yadav. The trees are situated on land belonging to the Polytechnic College, which required additional administrative steps before the Forest Department could proceed. 

Yadav said the division had already taken action regarding the matter earlier, but a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Polytechnic College was also required because the land belongs to the institution. 

Yadav said, "They informed me that there are three pine trees just above their school which are in a dangerous condition. In this regard, action has been taken by the division earlier as well. Since the land where those trees are located belongs to the Polytechnic College, we needed a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from them as well. Also, that land was possibly given by the Forest Panchayat in the past. So, currently, all the processes have been completed at the division level," he said. 

Forest Department Promises Action Within Two Days 

Following the students' protest, the Forest Department said the required processes have now been completed at the divisional level. Officials indicated that the removal of the hazardous trees would be taken up shortly. 

"The effort is to ensure that we carry out the action to fell those trees according to the rules as soon as possible, i.e., within one to two days, so that the children remain safe and we remove whatever dangerous trees are there from that place in a safe manner according to the rules," he added. 

The students had demanded that the trees be removed without further delay, stressing the need to address the potential danger before an unfortunate incident occurs. 

Students Demand Safe School Route 

The protest brought the safety of the school route into focus, with students seeking a solution that would protect both children and other people using the road. 

The DFO said all necessary steps would be taken to ensure that the trees do not endanger anyone. The proposed action will involve felling the identified trees in accordance with the applicable rules and safety procedures. 

For the students and their teachers, the immediate priority remains ensuring that the route they use every day is safe. The Forest Department's assurance of action within one to two days now puts the focus on whether the identified hazardous trees are removed within the stated timeframe.