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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Activists slam PCMC over proposed tree felling, 1,200 objections filed
Over 100 citizens and environmental activists, present for the hearing of the proposed tree felling of 1,009 trees in Wakad and Sangvi for the Riverfront Development Project (RFD) on Monday, claimed the proposed docket prepared by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) was illegal and legally flawed. According to PCMC officials, the revised docket proposes felling of 1,009 trees, transplanting 2,252. (HT) The PCMC last month had issued a public notice in newspapers regarding the proposed tree felling and replantation of trees that will be affected during the RFD project. The civic body received over 1,200 suggestions and objections to the project. During the hearing, held at the civic garden in Bhosari, green activists submitted a fresh letter demanding cancellation of the existing docket, which they claimed violates the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. According to PCMC officials, the revised docket proposes felling of 1,009 trees, transplanting 2,252, and retaining 3,585 trees, including heritage and ecologically significant trees. Besides, 67 trees have already fallen naturally due to age or calamities. Activists argued that the very basis of the current hearing is flawed as Section 5(a) of the Tree Act mandates that only the Tree Authority or designated Tree Officer can carry out official tree surveys. The documents presented lack basic legal compliance as they do not include geo-tagged photographs, survey dates, or location coordinates, they said. Green activist, Prashant Raul, pointed out that many trees currently standing at the site were missing from the survey report. 'A previous tree census from December 2021 by PCMC, which provides a more accurate count, was ignored. An RTI has also been filed demanding that the older data be used to assess the objections. The report fails to follow the Act's definition of a tree, omitting climbers, grasses, and shrubs. Additionally, the Expert Committee's report, which should clarify why certain trees are being felled or transplanted, was not made available,' he said. Another major concern, according to activists, is that the hearing focused only on the Wakad to Sangvi stretch, while the RFD covers up to Dapodi. Activists questioned why permissions and objections are being considered phase-wise when project approvals were taken for the full stretch. Also, native species such as Karanj, Neem, Banyan, Peepal and Babool were labelled as 'invasive' in the report, drawing widespread criticism. Raju Savle, civic activist, also accused PCMC of already cutting down trees without necessary permissions. Evidence, including photos from 2023, 2024 and this year was submitted, showing large-scale felling to make way for contractor's vehicles and machinery. Mahesh Gargote, head of the garden department, PCMC, said, 'The Tree department has received around 1,200 objections from the public. These objections will be compiled and forwarded to the Environment department and later presented before the Tree Authority. The project work has begun in some sections. All objections would be considered and possible corrective actions would be taken following the Tree Act guidelines.'
News18
29-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Mumbai road project: SC asks Tree Authority to consider tree felling plea of BMC
New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) Observing that a balance between environment protection and development is necessary, the Supreme Court on Tuesday permitted the Tree Authority to decide on a plea of the civic body BMC for felling 95 trees in Mumbai's Film City for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing a plea of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is responsible for the ambitious GMLR project, seeking the apex court's nod for felling the trees for the first phase. The GMLR project envisages developing road connectivity from Western Express Highway to Eastern Express Highway to reduce travel time by almost an hour between Mulund and Goregaon. The BMC says that these 95 trees are required to be cut for operating the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) and launching shaft work for the tunnelling work. For digging the pit structure, it is required to clear ground space and, in the process, a certain number of trees are required to be felled, the Tree Authority said in the application. The BMC filed the plea keeping in mind the January 10 order of the top court by which it had directed the Tree Authority of the civic body not to allow any further tree felling in Mumbai's Aarey colony without its permission. The civic body said that the area, where tree felling was proposed, falls under the Film City and not under Aarey Colony, and yet they filed the plea in the top court as part of abundant caution. 'No doubt, the protection of the environment is important and it has been held by this court in several judgements keeping in mind the principle of inter-generational equity," the CJI said. 'However, the development cannot be ignored … The development of infrastructure is also necessary. Unless proper infrastructure is put in place, the country cannot progress," the CJI said. The bench asked the BMC to file the report of the experts on the issue alongside the afforestation plan. The bench made clear that no tree can be felled without its prior nod and fixed the plea of the BMC for hearing on August 12. The trees to be felled are for the 6.2km twin tunnels, which are part of the 5.3km GMLR between Film City, Goregaon, and Khindipada (Amar Nagar), Mulund. 'The project involves development of a road through a tunnel to preserve the green space on the ground," the Tree Authority said while seeking permission to cut the trees. The top court's earlier order, asking the Tree Authority of the BMC not to allow any further tree felling in Mumbai's Aarey colony without its permission, was passed in connection with the car shade project of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL). The apex court had directed the Maharashtra government to inform if there was any proposal to fell more trees in Aarey forest. The court had in 2023 permitted some forest-dwelling communities to move the Bombay High Court with their grievances over the felling of trees in the forest for the metro rail project. PTI SJK SJK RT RT (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 17:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Indian Express
Pune Riverfront Development Project: Petitioners urge public to stay alert against tree felling after Bombay HC setback
Days after the Bombay High Court refused to restrain the Tree Authority from felling and replanting trees for the Riverfront Development Project on the Mula-Mutha river, the petitioners have urged the people of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad to 'stay vigilant' against any further tree felling or transplantation from the Sangamwadi bridge to the Mundhwa bridge. Pune-based Shalvi Pawar, Tanmayi S, and others have made the call after the court granted liberty to the petitioners to raise objections if any more proposals are made to the Tree Authority for more unlawful tree-cutting under the Riverfront Development Project (RFD). The PIL, which had been filed three-and-a-half months ago, was disposed of after the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) told the court that six separate permissions had been granted for cutting 1,302 trees and transplanting 1,843 trees along the 9-km stretch of the Mula-Mutha river. Of these, 997 trees had already been cut and 859 trees transplanted, and 'further work is in progress'. As part of the RFD project, 11,000 trees of the 22,150 in the project area will be felled and 11,150 trees will be transplanted. The project will also include the planting of 30,000 trees of local varieties in the area. PMC stated that alongside cutting or transportation of trees, the execution of the project work of the RFD was also going on at the site. According to the court order, 'The learned counsel for the PMC submits that under the project, the Corporation has planted 5,100 trees up to April 2025 and, from April 27, 2025 to 11 July 2025, 2,369 trees were planted and that they shall ensure that the aforesaid trees are maintained properly'. Pawar, a professional ecological conservationist, says, 'We need every citizen to be very alert and inform us on the social media pages of 'Pune River Revival', a citizen-led movement that works for the rights of Pune rivers and riparian trees. People can directly post on Facebook page and Instagram of 'Pune River Revival' if they spot tree felling anywhere near the river-side'. The organisation comprises thousands of environmentally sensitive people who work to preserve the natural spaces of Pune.' The group will reach out to people over social media and direct engagement. Tanmayi says that she was prompted to file the PIL after visiting RFD sites and being disappointed about the destruction to the riparian zones. 'If the river actually becomes clean, the kind of biodiversity that we can have is beyond imagination. I was born and brought up in Pune. I want to have the relationship that my parents and my grandparents had with the rivers. I want to be able to swim in rivers, that is what drives me,' she says. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the RFD project in March 2022, almost five years after Pune Municipal Corporation prepared its detailed project report (DPR) to beautify the 44-km-long river stretch of Mula and Mutha passing through the city. After overcoming a legal battle posed by environmentalists and citizens' groups, the civic administration has given a major push to its implementation. Dipanita Nath is interested in the climate crisis and sustainability. She has written extensively on social trends, heritage, theatre and startups. She has worked with major news organizations such as Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Mint. ... Read More
Time of India
12-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
HC junks plea against 9km riverfront development stretch after PMC word on maintaining compensatory plantations
Pune: The Bombay high court on Friday disposed of a PIL against felling and replantation of trees along a 9km Mula-Mutha riverfront development (RFD) stretch, from Sangamwadi bridge to Mundhwa bridge, after the PMC gave an undertaking to maintain the replanted trees properly. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) submitted that it had planted 7,469 trees till July 11 against phase-wise permissions granted between Oct 14, 2024, and Feb 24, 2025, by the PMC Tree Authority to cut 1,302 trees and replant 1,843 trees. The civic body also said it would ensure that these trees were maintained properly. The bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V Marne said on July 11, "Needless to state that in case any further proposal is made to the Tree Authority for cutting of trees for the purposes of the project in question, petitioners shall be at liberty to raise an objection, if so advised." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Lawyer Abhijit Kulkarni, who represented the PMC, told TOI, "We brought to the court's notice that we have followed all the legal procedures. The PIL was filed in March this year as an afterthought against the permissions granted much earlier, only to stall the ambitious RFD project. It has an environmental clearance from the central govt's environment ministry." "As early as in April this year, we filed an affidavit-in-reply, bringing to the HC's notice that 60% of the project work had been completed as per permissions granted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Se você sofre com dores no joelho. Leia isso antes que seja deletado Vida Sem Dores Hence, the PIL was an indirect way of blocking the project. This was the fourth attempt to stall the project in the name of environmental concerns," he said. Activist Shalvi Pawar and others had filed the PIL assailing the validity of Resolution No. 1/14/ permission passed by the chairman of the Pune Municipal Corporation's Tree Authority on Oct 14, 2024, on the ground that the same was in violation of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. The petitioners pleaded directions to quash and set aside the approvals given on Dec 6, 2024, Dec 10, 2024 and Dec 11, 2024, by the assistant municipal commissioner, PMC, and to restrain the chairman, Tree Authority, from felling and replantation of trees for the RFD project. The PMC stated in its affidavit on April 27, 2025, "The permission to cut trees for River Rejuvenation Project has been considered by the PMC in phase wise manner. As of date, six permissions have been granted by the Tree Authority to cut a total of 1,302 trees and transplant 1,843 trees along around 9km length of the Mula-Mutha. Out of the said permissions, cutting of 997 trees and transplantation of 859 have been completed, and further work is in progress. Simultaneously, along with the cutting and/or transplantation of trees, the execution of the River Rejuvenation Project is also going on at the site." The PMC lawyer submitted on July 11 that the remaining trees had also been cut /transplanted after April 27, 2025, and the phase concerned of project had been executed.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Form Statewide Policy On Compensatory Afforestation: HC to MSIDC
Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Monday directed the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) to develop a comprehensive statewide policy for tree cutting and compensatory afforestation. This directive came after reports revealed violations of the Maharashtra Urban Areas Protection and Preservation of Trees Act during infrastructure projects. A division bench comprising justices Nitin Sambre and Sachin Deshmukh granted MSIDC four weeks to submit a detailed affidavit outlining its policy, compliance measures, and monitoring mechanisms. The order emerged from the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Preeti Patel and three others, who alleged large-scale tree felling in breach of regulations during city development works. The petitioners were represented by advocate Mrinall Chakravarty, while Gemini Kasat appeared for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Earlier, the court criticised MSIDC for not fulfilling its responsibilities after a tree audit revealed that 749 of 1,861 trees planted as compensatory afforestation had died. These trees were intended to replace 36 that were cut down to construct new buildings for the district collector and divisional commissioner's offices. In Monday's hearing, MSIDC's general manager Brijesh Dixit appeared in person as previously directed and submitted an affidavit. He stated that a total of 1,779 saplings were planted to replace the felled trees and that watchmen would now be deployed to monitor the plantations at both the original and newly identified sites. However, the court deemed the response unsatisfactory and instructed Dixit to provide a more detailed and clear affidavit within two weeks, explaining all aspects of the plantation, survival rate, and long-term maintenance. The NMC Tree Authority had earlier ordered MSIDC to plant 1,735 trees to compensate for the 36 trees removed. The high number of tree deaths led to strict scrutiny and Dixit being summoned to court. In October 2024, MSIDC sought permission to fell or transplant 40 trees for constructing new buildings for the collectorate and divisional commissioner's offices. After site inspections in February 2025, the Tree Authority found 15 heritage trees and 21 non-heritage trees at risk. In a March 2025 meeting, permission was granted to cut 35 of these and transplant one tree, with the strict condition that 1,735 new trees be planted in compensation. Initially, MSIDC proposed to carry out the plantation at Gorewada. However, the court directed that all trees be planted within city limits. The agency later reported planting 1,861 trees at Vayusena Nagar, Dattawadi, Dabha, Wathoda, and near Futala Lake. Inspections conducted by the Tree Authority on June 21 and 23 revealed that 749 trees had died, over 400 were under six feet in height, and many sites lacked basic care such as water supply and fencing.
