Greens say 500 trees cut, Metro & NMC say only 16

Nagpur: There is more to it than that meets the eye in the tree-cutting saga as part of the Telangkhedi beautification project. While with the help of satellite images and spot inspection, greens claim that a few hundred trees have been cut, MahaMetro, which is executing the project, says that only 16 trees have been removed after due permissions from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

On Sunday, TOI reported how satellite images over a period of time reveal that a huge patch of green area opposite Futala Lake where a parking plaza is to come up is looking barren. A group of environment activists and experts carried out a spot inspection of the area and say that there are signs that hundreds of trees have had been felled.

According to ecologist Prachi Mahurkar, around 400-500 trees have been cut. Officials of MahaMetro and NMC claimed that only 16 trees were cut after taking permission from the civic body’ garden department. The agency further informed that earlier, it took permission to fell 12 trees which were obstructing vehicle movement on road.

As reported earlier, NMC has called for a public hearing on tree felling at various places, which includes 121 trees that are proposed to be cut by MahaMetro along the periphery of Futala lake for construction of a retaining wall, on Tuesday.

Activists said that most of these trees have been already cut even before the hearing could be held. However, NMC officials claimed that only 12-13 trees were cut without permission.

Officials of both MahaMetro and NMC stated that the site of parking plaza had mostly bamboo shrubs. Countering this, Mahurkar said, “Every tree has an ecological value. Moreover, our assessment which was done on the basis of adjacent vegetation clearly reveals that various species were cut including acacia nilotica, ficu hispida, terminalia species like arjun, yen, behada and some others.”

MahaMetro refuted these claims and said that “it is far from truth”. It added that compensatory plantation of 580 trees against the 28 cut at Telangkhedi has been done.

Activists, however, have another view. “Satellite images are clear indication that number of trees felled are much more than the number given by Maha Metro. Satellite images cannot be changed. The trees to be cut or already cut are being done in parts. NMC should demand environment clearance first as much damage is being done around the lake. MahaMetro should also show site of compensatory plantations to public immediately,” said activist and architectural conservationist Sandeep Pathe.

Referring to the amended state tree rules, environment activist Anasuya Kale Chhabrani questioned why the number of trees need to be felled for Futala project have not been counted in one go. “The brown patches visible in the images were once a very thick canopy full of native tree species. Our claims are not wrong. MahaMetro is not just defacing the lake but also keeping citizens in dark and destroying the green cover,” she added.

On Monday, advocate Abhiyan Barahate filed a complaint with state chief minister against “illegal tree felling done by MahaMetro”. The complaint claimed that NMC officials were hand-in-glove with the culprits. “Even after intimation, NMC is not taking any action and is trying to suppress the issue,” it added.

Activists also questioned why NMC officials did not inform public before granting permission to feel trees at Futala. In a letter written to MPCB on March 13 this year, NMC had stated that it has not given any permission to cut trees at Futala. “Why were the citizens not informed if the corporation gave any permission? Where was the public notice and why a public hearing was not held,” asked activist Kunal Mourya.

NMC officials said that a public notice was published.