The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will send a notice to the Mumbai University over hacking of trees. The varsity has hacked 15 trees on its Kalina campus as the noise made by the colony of bats residing on their branches allegedly disturbed a faculty member.
Additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas said they had only given permissions for cutting some branches. "However, we got to know that some trees have been chopped. We will send a notice to those involved and take necessary action against them," he said.
However, university officials claimed that they had due permission. "The superintendent had got the necessary permission as it was a long-pending issue of hygiene and the bats staying on the trees were a disturbance," said registrar MA Khan.
On Wednesday, the Students' Joint Action Front, University of Mumbai, staged a protest on the campus and wrote a letter to the registrar to explain the act and compensate for it by planting more trees. "The university started chopping the trees on Sunday and Monday, which were holidays. It had plans to cut over 30 trees. Not only do the trees provide some respite in the summer, but also there are several birds that live on them. The university has disturbed the ecology for the convenience of one faculty member," said a student.
The students also received support from professor Neeraj Hatekar, who also wrote to the registrar. "The whole situation arising from the noisy bats could have been dealt with in a much more sustainable manner. Action needs to be taken against individuals who are responsible for this unfortunate situation," said Hatekar in his letter.
Local leaders too have written to the BMC, demanding action against those responsible. Ameet Satam, BJP corporator from Andheri, said: "I have written to municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte, asking whether permission was sought for hacking the trees. If not, I have asked him to kindly take action against the officials concerned."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}