MMRDA mum on trees felled for Metro project
BMC accuses state infrastructure body of not providing information on replacement of green cover
Chaitanya Marpakwar
- Posted On Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 04:37:52 AM
Ever since work began on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor in 2008, Mumbai's green cover has shrunk by 900 trees. However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which is undertaking the rapid transit system, seems to have little idea about its plan to compensate for the trees chopped.
The BMC's tree authority, the apex body for matters pertaining to trees in the city, has accused the MMRDA of ignoring its requests to provide information on the status of transplantation, and plantation of new trees. As per the rules laid down by the civic body, any person, organisation or government agency seeking to cut trees for infrastructure projects has to either transplant the uprooted trees or plant twice the number of trees chopped. With no information coming in from the state infra body for the past three months, BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte has stepped in to seek a detailed report in the matter. "I have written to the MMRDA asking it to furnish a report on the plantation and transplantation of trees undertaken by it as against the 900 trees claimed by the project. Since the tree authority had demanded the information, I have asked the MMRDA to submit its report," Kunte told Mumbai Mirror. At the same time, the tree authority has also decided not to grant any permission to cut trees till MMRDA complies with its request. "There were some MMRDA officials present for the tree authority meeting last week, but they couldn't give any concrete answers about the exact location and number of the trees planted," said tree authority member and BJP corporator Ameet Satam said. When asked why it took so long for the tree authority to seek the information, especially when the project had started way back in 2008, Satam said it was only after his induction into the tree authority in March 2012, he began reviewing the case and found the anomaly. Speaking to Mirror, an MMRDA official said that the agency would furnish a detailed report to the tree authority in a couple of days. "We have planted the trees in forest land, while some of the trees have been moved. We will submit our list to the tree authority soon." |
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