Only 3 days left to send objections to tree cutting

Mumbai: There are only three days left to send in objections to the removal of 2,702 trees for a metro car shed in Aarey Milk Colony.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stated that the final decision for permissions on the number of trees to be cut will be taken after hearing the objections on October 10. At least 120 trees have already been felled by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) at an adjacent site. Around 20 citizens were detained for protesting against the tree cutting being carried out in the absence of a tree officer.

The Asian Age, had on September 28, reported that MMRC plans to remove 105 trees at the site adjacent to the car depot plot for a pylon termination sub-station and road diversion. “The Tree Authority has duly approved cutting of trees essential for a ramp, pylon shifting and other metro-related activities in three different proposals, only after which the tree cutting will be carried out at the given site,” said a MMRC spokesperson.

Apart from this, 2,238 trees will be cut, while 464 will be transplanted at the metro car depot plot. “We have put up a public notice of the proposal by the MMRC for tree cutting at the metro car shed site. After a public hearing on the matter, it will be decided if there the proposal requires alteration,” said a member of the BMC’s Tree Authority. Citizens can write their objections till October 3 to the superintendent of the BMC’s garden department.

Stalin Dayanand, project director of NGO Vanashakti, wrote to the BMC, “The loss of so many trees is a serious blow to Mumbai’s environment. There are at least seven barren locations where the car shed can be set up. The access to citizens into the site is being prevented. How can one see the situation on the site?”