Green activists and citizens came together and stopped the tree felling work at Plot No 4 on London Street near Khamla on Monday. The citizens raised concern over whether the required permissions and environmental safeguards are being followed or not before the tree felling work. Citizens and environmental activists are opposing the tree felling from the beginning on the plot for construction of a commercial building. However, Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court asked the project proponent to follow all norms and perform the compensatory plantation first and then think about tree felling on the plot. On Monday morning, citizens got to know about the commencement of tree felling work and in on time a large number of citizens and activists rushed the spot and halted the work.

 

“As per the proposal, the implementing agency want to fell 67 full grown trees on the plot area which is the only green cover left in the area. We are not opposing the project but we do not want unnecessary killing of trees there,” said Sachin Khobragade, a green activist to ‘The Hitavada’. The project proponent already felled 40 trees. The people are demanding to save those trees situated on the boundary wall area in the plot and conduct counting of trees on the land. On Monday, citizens halted the tree felling work and demanded to meet Municipal Commissioner. As a result, the municipal commissioner Dr Vipin Itankar will meet citizens on Tuesday at his office.

 

The people are demanding details of the compensatory plantation proposed against the trees being removed. Concerns have been raised that Garden Department has not made the relevant permission documents and compensatory plantation records available for scrutiny despite requests. Activists have demanded that NMC publicly disclose the number and species of trees permitted to be cut, copies of the permissions issued, the reasons for their removal, and complete details of the compensatory plantation plan, including the proposed locations and number of saplings.