BMC proposes cutting of 990 trees in the name of development works

In the past six months no other meeting was held except for Tree Authority

@nag228

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Tree Authority has brought forward a proposal to allow cutting of 990 trees which are being regarded as obstacles in the development work. As compensation the civic authorities will replant the trees. The proposal is yet to be discussed in the Tree Authority meeting.

As per the proposal, 990 trees from various parts of the city were allowed to be cut and replanted at another location. Despite officials of the BMC knowing the fact that trees once cut or uprooted cannot survive at some other place. Then too the trees will be allowed to be cut and replanted in another place.

BMC is known as Asia’s richest municipal corporation, and has been calling a meeting of the tree authority members to allow only tree cutting since the last six months.

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It is compulsory to hold a standing committee meeting once a week, for taking decisions of the other works of the BMC, even though the meeting of the standing committee has not been held for a long time due to Corona. But to clear way for the development works of the builders and for other development works of metro and police department. The meeting of the Tree Authority was called to make a decision to allow the cutting of trees.

This is the second time; the meeting of the tree authority has been called by the BMC administration in the time of Corona. BMC commissioner himself is the chairman of the tree authority committee.

BMC Commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal has convened a meeting of the tree authority on Friday. In the meeting decision to cut a total of 990 trees will be allowed. Out of the 990, 262 trees will be completely cut. Whereas, 728 trees will be cut and relocated.

In the meeting of the tree authority, a decision on cutting off the 73 trees which have become obstruction in the developmental works of Metro 6 will be taken and 307 trees will be allowed to be planted elsewhere. In addition to this, more than a hundred trees obstructing the road in K west ward will be allowed to be cut. In addition, most of the tree will be slashed to clear way for builders’ works to remain obstructed which will be allowed to be removed.

BMC is only calling meetings of the tree authority due to which question arises that is BMC only working for builders? There are a lot of problems to deal with in such a crucial time of pandemic then why is BMC only focusing on cutting of trees?

Shiv Sena is ruling BMC is not calling for the Standing Committee or the general body meeting then why only the Tree Authority meeting is held, which is not dealing with any civic issues related to citizens.

There are four statutory committees: the Standing committee, BEST Committee, Improvement’s committee and Education Committee. Whereas there are six special committees they are Women and Child welfare committee, Works Committee (City and Suburbs), Law committee, Market and garden committee in the BMC but in the past 6 months due to Corona no meetings are held except for the Tree Authority committee, which is headed by BMC chief.

The group leader for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prabhakar Shinde, while speaking to thenews21 said, “Since last six months no statutory meetings are held due to Corona except for the Tree Authority. In the period of Corona, when the important committees of the BMC which directly deals with the issues of the Mumbaikars were not called. But the Tree Authority meeting which is headed by the BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal was called to take decision of cutting of trees. This clearly indicates this is being done for some purpose of benefiting someone. Rather, than Tree Authority no other meetings are taken which work for the betterment of the citizens.”