Sena takes on govt over tree-felling regulations

In the latest instance of the ongoing tussle between the Shiv Sena and BJP in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Shiv Sena corporator and leader of the house Yashwant Jadhav has opposed a government resolution (GR) passed on January 16, which empowers the Municipal Commissioner to grant permission to cut trees if the number is less than 25.

In the Tree Authority meeting held on Thursday, Jadhav raised a point of order against the resolution stating that the Shiv Sena will not allow the Municipal Commissioner to bypass the proper authority to grant permission to fell trees. Every tree to be felled would have to be inspected Tree Authority officers, he said.

The state legislature had approved a bill in December 2016 which did away with the need for personal inspection of trees by a tree officer if the applicant submits images and details of the trees to be cut. This was done with the aim to speed up infrastructure projects but had raised eyebrows for its environmental impact.

Speaking with DNA Jadhav said, "Recently, BJP corporators did not clear a proposal for wooden benches and chairs to be supplied in schools, saying that many trees will have to be cut. But those benches would have been made from stored wood, and there would have been no need to cut trees. So now, we have taken a stand and decided to put a complete stop to the cutting of trees. And hence we have we have referred back the proposals on tree felling," adding that if this stand hampers infrastructural development, then the BJP will be held responsible for this.

The point of order raised in the three authority committee, headed by Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, will now go to the gardens department of the BMC.

"The gardens department will give its say to the Commissioner on whether the point of order can be implemented or not. At this stage, the department is likely to take a stand that as it is an Act passed by the state government, they have to stick to it," a civic official said.