In what comes as a great relief to environmentalists, the Tree Authority of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has postponed the felling of 3,070 trees across Mumbai. In a meeting held on Thursday, 12 proposals for various projects which need felling of trees were placed. However, the Tree Authority headed by Municipal Commissioner, Ajoy Mehta, put the proposals on hold.

Out of the 3,070 trees to be felled, around 500 trees were from Aarey milk colony for casting yard and road work while the rest were for various works including metro and hospital constructions, storm water drains widening among other civic works.

The move came after an activist, Zoru Bathena, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the validity of last year’s amendment in the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Prevention of Trees Act. According to the amendment, the BMC Municipal Commissioner is authorised to sanction the cutting of up to 25 trees and any number above that would be addressed by the Tree Authority. The PIL also enquired about the measures taken by BMC to preserve and protect the trees.

Bathena said, “It is observed that BMC chief misuses the special powers with him to grant permission to cut up to 25 trees. Many tree cutting proposals are split with 25 trees so that it does not reach up to the tree authority. The commissioner does not have time to either to inspect the locations or whether he consults an expert is not known.”

Hearing the PIL on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court directed the BMC to file an affidavit by February 21. The affidavit should contain the procedures followed by the Municipal Commissioner while deciding proposals on tree cutting.

BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, “We have put the tree cutting proposals on hold. As for granting permission for cutting up to 25 trees, no individual proposal as such is passed but in bulk.”

Saving the greens