10 May,2011 07:23 AM IST | | Urvashi Seth
Residents of Antop Hill claim that the BMC cut the full-grown trees for Monorail project despite their resistance and also failed to arrange for a hearing before taking action
Efforts of the residents of Antop Hill, who were opposing tree cutting by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in their area since last year, went down the drain as the officials axed seven full-grown trees on Sunday. The trees were cut for the upcoming Monorail project at Antop Hill. According to Ravindra Daga, a resident of the area, more than 16 objection letters were send by the residents to the BMC pleading for a hearing before the trees were cut, but to no avail. "Two days back, BMC officials came and chopped off the trees without any prior intimation. This is completely unfair," he complained.
"It is a matter of concern how so many trees are being cut for developmental projects. We don't know if more trees will be planted in lieu of this. We are going to meet the other residents in the vicinity and also ask the BMC for clarification," said he.
Niranjan Shetty, a tree authority member explained that although the BMC was given permission to axe trees in Antop Hill, they were kept in the dark about the residents' objection to this move. "We were never informed by the BMC that the residents were opposing the tree cutting by the civic body. Only after Daga informed us, we got to know that BMC had failed to hear them. A course of action should be taken against this. This was never discussed on the agenda."
The Other Side
Sanjay Purhade, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, S north, said, "We have chopped off the trees only after getting permission from the tree authority. We have cut 20 trees out of which six will be replanted. We have not received any complaints from any residents in the past year."
