Builder booked for chopping nine trees without permission
A builder in Mumbai has been booked for chopping down nine trees without permission while redeveloping a building in Ghatkopar East.
MUMBAI: The police have booked a builder for chopping nine trees which include three gardenia, two guava, two tagar, one lemon and an artabotrys odorattisimus (hari champa) tree. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), they had received a written complaint from residents about trees being chopped by the developer while redeveloping a building in Ghatkopar East. After visiting the spot, the civic officials verified the fact and an offence against the builder was registered.
“We have booked unknown officers of Tanishq Builders who are redeveloping Praja Bhakti Shakti society property at Barrister Nath Pai Nagar in Ghatkopar East. The complaint has been lodged by Sanchita Kore, junior tree officer, N-Ward office of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,” said the police officer. According to the police, the BMC N Ward had received a written complaint relating to the chopping of trees by Tanishq Builders in June 2023. After receipt of the complaint, civic officers visited the spot and learnt that the redeveloper somewhere in October 2022, had chopped the trees.
“They had not taken any permission to cut down trees from the civic body. The matter was reported to senior officers in the BMC, and after their permission and consent the civic body approached the police. In August 2023, a non-cognizable offence was registered for the same against the builder by the civic body,” said a police officer.
“The civic body had again pursued the matter and written to the police to take further action on the non-cognizable offence after which with the permission of the Vikhroli court a case was registered against the builder under section 8 restrictions on felling of trees and 21 offences and penalty of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975,” he added.
“We have registered the offence and will further investigate the matter and decide further action,” said a police officer from Pant Nagar police station in Ghatkopar East.
Representatives of Tanishq Builders could not be contacted in the matter till the time of going to press.