mumbai

Updated: Jul 06, 2018 17:10 IST

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) tree authority on Thursday unanimously approved the proposal to cut down 79 trees and transplant 37 trees for the construction of the Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mills compound.

The trees that are proposed to be cut include mango, wild almonds, guava, drumsticks, jackfruit, and flowering trees like gulmohar and yellow flame.

While activists have been swift to object to the move, all political parties have remained mum on the issue. The request to cut the trees was initially made by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

After MMRDA and BMC officials visited the site, 116 of the total 250 trees were found to obstructing the memorial’s construction. Most of the trees that are proposed to be cut are fruit-bearing, flowering, or evergreen trees.

The proposal was passed unanimously, without any members of the tree authority demanding a field visit. Captain Malik, NCP councillor and a member of the tree authority, said, “All members have approved the proposal and since it is related to the faith of the people, there were no objections raised.”

Shiv Sena member Yashwant Jadhav said, “No one objected to this proposal nor did anyone demand a field visit.”

Zoru Bhatena, environmental activist, said, “This is an unconstitutional move by BMC and MMRDA. I have written to various agencies multiple times stating that there are many private agencies that carry out tree transplantation effectively. If they are going to build a garden around the memorial, then why do they want to cut down the natural green cover?”

Bhatena said that he would move the Bombay high court objecting to the proposal. Jeetendra Pardeshi, superintendent, the gardens department, was unavailable for a comment.