Green cover critical, don't cut trees on Khar's 13th road till Nov 18: HC
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Swati Deshpande
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Mumbai
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Orders BMC To Hear Residents' Objections First
The Bombay high court on
Thursday asked the municipal corporation not to cut any of the 34 trees
it claims is coming in the way of a road-widening project in Khar (West)
till November 18. Stressing that Mumbai's green cover needs to be
protected, the judges said depletion of the tree cover would have
“dangerous consequences“. Joaquim Reis, counsel for the BMC, said the
“corporation is aware that trees are essential for the environment“ and
that “rules will be followed before treecutting is permitted“.
A bench of Justices V M Kanade and Swapna Joshi was hearing a plea by activist Zoru Bhathena against cutting the trees of 13th Ro ad, in which residents have sought a stay as even “good roads“ were being dug up in the Khar and Bandra areas.“We have lived our lives...we need to preserve trees, our environment for future generations. If not, it will be a disaster,'' cautioned Justice Kanade, adding that “Dadar Hindu Colony was (once) full of lush green trees“.
No trees will be cut till the reopening of the HC after Diwali vacation, Reis said. “The BMC has called for objections. All objections will be considered and the tree authority will then take a decision,'' he added.
The HC directed the BMC to hear objections by November 3 at the tree authority office in Byculla. On the next date, the court will consider the order, if any, passed by the tree authority.
TIMES VIEW:
The civic administration must factor in the city's shrinking green canopy into its plans when it undertakes public works. The necessity of relaying roads or expanding them cannot be understated, but given the declining quality of air, the BMC would do well to preserve as much of the urban ecology as possible. If not anything else, the beauty of streets that are lined with trees should stop municipal staff from cutting them down.
A bench of Justices V M Kanade and Swapna Joshi was hearing a plea by activist Zoru Bhathena against cutting the trees of 13th Ro ad, in which residents have sought a stay as even “good roads“ were being dug up in the Khar and Bandra areas.“We have lived our lives...we need to preserve trees, our environment for future generations. If not, it will be a disaster,'' cautioned Justice Kanade, adding that “Dadar Hindu Colony was (once) full of lush green trees“.
No trees will be cut till the reopening of the HC after Diwali vacation, Reis said. “The BMC has called for objections. All objections will be considered and the tree authority will then take a decision,'' he added.
The HC directed the BMC to hear objections by November 3 at the tree authority office in Byculla. On the next date, the court will consider the order, if any, passed by the tree authority.
TIMES VIEW:
The civic administration must factor in the city's shrinking green canopy into its plans when it undertakes public works. The necessity of relaying roads or expanding them cannot be understated, but given the declining quality of air, the BMC would do well to preserve as much of the urban ecology as possible. If not anything else, the beauty of streets that are lined with trees should stop municipal staff from cutting them down.
Oct 28 2016
:
The Times of India
(Mumbai)
Protests as Metro may hit 106 trees in Bandra
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Richa Pinto
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Mumbai:
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Bandra residents have
strongly objected to a proposal to remove 106 trees for construction of a
casting yard for the Metro III project at the Bandra-end of the
Bandra-Worli Sea Link. Suggestions and objections will be heard on
November 4 at 2.30pm at the office of the superintendent of gardens and
tree officer.
Bandra corporator Asif Zakaria has written to the BMC superintendent of gardens, saying the plot (pic above) in HWest ward has been allotted only temporarily to the MMRDA contractor. “For ancillary work of a temporary nature, it is surprising such a large number of trees is desired to be cut. Though the trees are proposed to be transplanted, the general experience is that such transplantation more often kills the trees permanently .“ He alleged that the trees are being cut to prepare the plot for subsequent commercial use.
“We refuse to believe that such a large number of trees can be transplanted,“ said citizen activist Shyama Kulkarni from Bandra.
Despite repeated attempts, Jitendra Pardesi, deputy superintendent (gardens), was not available for comment.MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said he needed to check the issue.
Bandra corporator Asif Zakaria has written to the BMC superintendent of gardens, saying the plot (pic above) in HWest ward has been allotted only temporarily to the MMRDA contractor. “For ancillary work of a temporary nature, it is surprising such a large number of trees is desired to be cut. Though the trees are proposed to be transplanted, the general experience is that such transplantation more often kills the trees permanently .“ He alleged that the trees are being cut to prepare the plot for subsequent commercial use.
“We refuse to believe that such a large number of trees can be transplanted,“ said citizen activist Shyama Kulkarni from Bandra.
Despite repeated attempts, Jitendra Pardesi, deputy superintendent (gardens), was not available for comment.MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said he needed to check the issue.
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