Officials of Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council lodged a police complaint against Ram Kumar Agarwal, chairman of Brahma builders and Alka Mandar Rege and the estate manager of his resort property in Mahabaleshwar for chopping and trimming over 245 trees in the hill town area.
On July 12, tree officer K B Hirve of Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council approached Mahabaleshwar police station to book the duo under Section 21 (1) Maharashtra (Urban area) Protection and Preservation of Tree Act, 1975 pertaining to whosoever fells any tree or causes any tree to be felled in contravention or without reasonable excuse fails to comply with any order besides Secion 11(1) pertaining to responsibility for preservation of trees and power to take deposit for proper complainance. They are also booked under the relevant section of Indian Penal Code.
However Kumar's legal consultant, advocate Mukesh Zende, said that the company has not violated any norms but had written several letters to the municipal council for which they didn't receive a reply in stipulated time.
Sachin Pawar, chief officer of Mahabaleshwar Hill Station Municipal Council said, "Many tree activists in Mahabaleshwar and Satara had complained about Mahabaleshwar loosing its charm and many trees in the vicinity at Meda road were chopped and trimmed. Experts from Forest department, Municipal Council and Revenue department visited the area and over ten days, the experts inspected the resort area owned by Bramha Corp which is spread across 25 acres of land. The conclusion was drawn that some trees were uprooted while some were trimmed and many trees were chopped."
Prakash Sawant, inspector in-charge of Mahabaleshwar police station said, "As per the complaint of Hirve, it has been found that some 245 trees were chopped and some of them were trimmed. Nearly 120 trees were jamun (black plum) trees while others were rare species of trees. The committee has carried the panchanama of such trees and we are proceeding towards arrests."
Meanwhile Kumar's legal consultant, advocate Mukesh Zende said that under the Act, there is a specific provision that allows felling of trees that has got damaged due to natural reasons.
"Over the last five years, we have sent several notices to the competent authority like the forest department regarding the old trees. After the scheduled period of 60 days when no reply was received, it was understood that they have no objection, following which trees were trimmed. Noting illegal has been done," he said.
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