BMC allowed tree carnage sans permission: Plea

Mumbai: Activist Zoru Bhathena informed the Bombay high court that the BMC had allowed nine private entities, including two contractors, to cut trees for three years without taking permission from the tree authority which is mandatory as per the court’s order. The court has kept the petition for further hearing on June 12.

The petitioner said that he had observed that the civic body was on a tree-cutting spree for the past few months in places like Bandra, Andheri, Worli, Mulund and Kandivali. A large number of trees had been completely razed under the pretext that they were either dead or dangerous. A large number of trees were being hacked under the guise of trimming them. Such tree felling had taken place without any prior permission from the tree authority of the BMC. Further, no public notice had being issued for such felling which was mandatory as per the high court order and the tree department staff was self-certifying and self-approving such felling in complete violation of the provisions of the Tree Act.

The petition alleged that the tree department staff was taking undue advantage of section 21(1) of the Tree Act, which exempted them from punishment for axing trees.

The petitioner prayed that the court pass suitable directions to enhance the number and qualifications of staff required to look after fast depleting tree cover in the city.