Government site to give info on city’s trees

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a ‘comprehensive website’ about all permissions regarding trees for four to five municipalities in the MMRDA region. “Every information from tree cutting to transplantation will be available on this website for all,” said CM Fadnavis in the assembly on Thursday. The state government also announced a committee to inquire into all tree cutting permissions in Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC) area from 2010 to 2016. Announcements came into reply of calling attention.

Shiv Sena’s Sunil Prabhu called the tree authority a hub of corruption. “Tree authority members took `1-2 lakh bribe per tree and nobody has control over them,” Mr Prabhua alleged. Mr Fadnavis assured strict action those found guilty. The CM assured the house about protecting Mumbai’s green cover. “Website will have history of tree. Whether it was asked to cut, transplant to any other place, whether plantation was ordered in case of cutting, geo-tagging, geo-mapping of locations of transplantation or plantation. All information about trees will be available on the website. The website will be active for four to five major municipalities of the MMRDA region,” said Mr Fadnavis.

Minister of state Ranjit Patil announced about tree cutting permissions granted from 2010 to 2016. BJP MLA Ashish Shelar sought to know whether all ordered tree plantation was completed or not. “In six years, 25,000 trees were cut down. As per rule it is mandatory to plant double the number of trees in case of cutting, means 50,000 trees should have been planted. The government must do a reality check,” Mr Shelar said.  Mr Patil said that the government would set up a committee to find out all details related to tree cutting permission.