TMC directed to constitute tree authority once again

Mumbai: The tree authority of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is in fresh trouble as the Bombay high court on Monday rapped the civic body for again constituting the tree authority illegally.

The TMC claimed that as all the applications received by them for filling the position of expe-rt members were ineligible, the tree authority added officials from NEERI, forestry and agr-iculture department in its committee. The court, while scraping the newly-formed tree auth-ority highlighted that according to the Tree Act, non-official members from various NGOs should be selected.

During the hearing, Rohit Joshi, a Thane-based activist who has moved the petition, stated that despite the HC’s earlier order restraining the tree authority to sanction any proposals regarding the cutting of trees, they have recently given permission for tra-nsplantation of trees. “I witnessed the trees getting transplanted at Kav-esar in Thane. If the tree authority was not giving permissions, where did the transplanted trees come from?” he said.

The TMC stated that it received 14 applications for appointment of non-official members with expertise in preservation of trees, however all were rejected, as they did not meet the eligibility criteria. In the meantime, the tree authority was re-constituted with eight members from NEERI, social forestry, forest department and agriculture department appointed as experts.

The HC has directed the TMC to again constitute tree authority.