Price for development: The stump of a tree cut down to clear the approach to the Jones Road subway as seen on Sunday. A court directive to plant 50 saplings for every tree that is cut down in the city seems to be ignored by the powers-that-be. Following a public interest litigation (PIL) petition questioning the felling of trees for the construction of flyovers, the State government was also instructed to institute a Tree Authority. According to S. Srinivasan, counsel, who appeared for the PIL petitioner, the directive was issued in mid-2007. The Tree Authority was to have been established within six months from then. He planned to write to the State government to inquire why it has not done so. At present, there is little planning for planting saplings or felling of trees, residents said. J. Elizabeth, a south Chennai resident, resents the felling of trees done for widening the Gandhi Mandapam Road. "It used to be a lovely road. What is the point in cutting down trees to widen a road that does not witness severe traffic jams' she wondered. Corporation officials said that work on widening the road would commence next month. The trees were cut early last year. S.R.V. Subramaniam, a resident of West Mambalam who works for a company on the IT Corridor, said that no avenue tree saplings were planted to replace the trees that were cut down for the IT Corridor project. Some vegetation has been provided along the median, though. Biodiversity expert D. Narasimhan said the choice of flora is