Dinesh Kamath's news 'Environmentalists complain about trees being hacked in city in big number' that was published in Newsband

Environmentalists complain about trees being hacked in city in big number

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: Environmentalists’ complaints about rampant and illegal tree cuttings in housing societies under the pretext of pruning are going unheeded by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Several tall and healthy trees have been hacked in housing societies in different parts of Navi Mumbai. The members of the society come up with excuses that presence of trees block their views or birds come and sit on the branches and cause disturbances. They say that the absence of trees now give them total sight of the road which they need while waiting for their near and dear ones. The students residing in societies are of the opinion that the presence of trees make the birds come and sit on the branches and create noises for hours together which is annoying for the students particularly who are studying for their examinations.

But the activists give reference of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Tree Preservation Act, 1975, which prohibits pruning of branches of about six inches thickness without permission. The bird activists point out that when these trees are destroyed, even the birds’ nests are thrown away resulting in deaths of little ones of the birds.

There are some activists who are totally against nails and screws being hammered into trees for displaying hoardings and ads. “This is an offense and the culprit should be punished,” they say.

An expert on environment says, “Hacking trees is like butchering the environment. The issue of illegal trimming and cutting of trees constantly comes into public glare. These people who hack trees do not realize that such activities cause the deaths and displacement of hundreds of birds. Tree cutting is rampant all over the city. People should be told that global warming and green house effect are a threat to the very existence of our green planet and that every tree matters, and this is taught even in primary schools. Every single tree helps maintain the ecological balance, and citizens should be concerned about the widespread hacking whether illegal or even legal. The city's green cover has been rapidly vanishing in the last few years, giving concerned citizens sleepless nights. The various authorities that are supposed to maintain our tree cover are not doing enough to stop this practise of hacking trees. In the recent past we have seen a big number of trees being chopped down legally or illegally. As compared to the number of trees hacked, there are very few trees which are planted. This will make the green cover disappear very soon.”

When an official of CIDCO was asked as to why the trees were cut, he replied, “The population influx sees the need for housing as a formidable industry, and hitherto forested spaces are being cleared to house the new population. Greedy builders and developers therefore will think nothing of murdering a healthy tree with or without permission, to build their mega townships. Even NMMC resort to cutting trees to make new offices or to build new facilities, even parking lots.”

While environmentalists are claiming that illegal tree cutting is rampant, the NMMC straightaway denies that there is any illegal tree cutting going on in the city. In fact NMMC has the power to take strict action against those who resort to hacking trees. Environmentalists accuse NMMC of giving permissions to private citizens or contractors and builders to hack trees. There are many environmentalists who try to bring to the notice of NMMC officials the reckless pruning of healthy young branches of trees in the city. One of the environmentalists says, “Illegal tree cutting and trimming is rampant across the city and there are many cases of the same.” He also pointed out that people are not sensitive to other life forms and need to be protective towards the environment, whether it is birds or trees. “Only branches which are dry and posing a threat to humans or vehicles should be cut under the supervision of experts. Illegal tree cutting and trimming is rampant across the city. NMMC has vested interest when it comes to cutting of trees for property or road widening, etc. They don't follow proper guidelines,” he adds. “If a tree in your locality is dead, diseased, windfallen, poses danger to life or property, and/or obstructs traffic, you can seek to get it cut by following the legal procedure,” he concludes.

A bird activist says, “While trees are destroyed, birds nesting in them are affected too. Many eggs and hatchlings of water birds get killed during hacking of trees. Water birds play an essential role in city’s coastal ecosystem, which includes mangroves, mudflats and creeks, etc that act as a barrier between the sea and land, thereby protecting us. The destruction of mangroves has proved to be detrimental, and it is essential that we protect every aspect of the environment whether it's trees or birds as each plays its own role in the overall ecosystem.”