Heron deaths: Contractor, 3 members of housing society booked

Forest officials have confirmed that a significant portion of the tree canopy was removed, which is beyond the permissible limit as per the municipal guidelines

Thane: A tree-trimming contractor, Arfad Varekar, and three members of the Rutu Enclave Cooperative Housing Society have been booked for allegedly excessively pruning trees in the society’s premises on Ghodbunder Road, after which 45 herons died and 27 were rescued.

Thane, India - July -17, 2025: While trimming trees in the compound of a society on Ghodbunder Road, in Thane, the nest of the herons on the trees were destroyed, and about 25 herons died, and 15 were rescued through the Forest Department and Wildlife Welfare Association (NGO) Further investigation is being conducted by the Forest Department .,in Thane,in Mumbai, India, on, Thursday, July -17, 2025. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo ) (praful Gangurde)

The incident occurred on Thursday when the housing society, after acquiring permissions from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), started trimming 10 trees in the society compound. The local activists and NGOs alerted the authorities after spotting dead and injured birds in the society’s premises and claimed that excessive pruning was carried out during peak nesting season, leading to the destruction of birds’ nests on the trees.

Forest officials have confirmed that a significant portion of the tree canopy was removed, which is beyond the permissible limit as per the municipal guidelines.

The case was registered against contractor Arfad Varekar and three society committee members, Chintamani Chavhan, Suresh Vishal, and Salivhandra Tansale, under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The police said that the statements of the society members were recorded and that the contractor wasn’t available due to a medical emergency.

The forest department and the TMC are conducting parallel inquiries into the matter to analyse the extent of violations and individual accountability.

A wildlife expert said, “Ideally, before granting permission for tree trimming, a spot inspection must be conducted by the garden department officer of the civic body. In this case, the officials responsible for issuing the approval should also be held accountable.”