Greens, citizens allege inaction on the part of PCMC towards tree-cutting complaints
According to citizens, complaints raised on the Sarathi portal or with the sky sign department and garden department of the PCMC are falling on deaf ears
Residents and environmental activists from the twin city of Pimpri-Chinchwad claim that several trees in the area are being illegally razed/pruned to improve the visibility of large advertisements, hoardings and banners; and complaints to the sky sign department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) regarding the same are being closed without any action or valid reason.
According to citizens, complaints raised on the Sarathi portal or with the sky sign department and garden department of the PCMC are falling on deaf ears. Due to this apathy on the part of the PCMC, trees are being felled/pruned indiscriminately across the twin city. PCMC officials themselves have seen a large number of trees being felled/trimmed to make way for or increase the visibility of advertisements.
Tanay Patekar, a volunteer with the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Angholichigoli, on Wednesday raised a complaint with the PCMC commissioner, Maharashtra chief minister and deputy chief minister regarding illegal felling/pruning of trees. “A complaint was recently raised with the sky sign department regarding defacement of trees for hoardings in the Wakad area but it has been closed without the sky sign and garden departments of the PCMC verifying the cause or giving valid reasons,” Patekar said. He said that they have been following up on the issue for the past four years. “A recent complaint of illegal tree cutting was closed by the PCMC stating that the tree was axed by some unknown person. How can the civic body give such a reason!”
Prashant Raul, a green activist from Pimpri-Chinchwad, claimed that the PCMC has taken no action in the case of 30 such complaints. “The civic body is insensitive towards trees and miscreants take undue advantage of this. The action taken by the PCMC is not sufficient and there is a need for massive stringent action to curb this illegal activity,” Raul said.
Whereas Sandip Khot, head of the PCMC sky sign department, said that the recent action of cancelling the licenses of advertisers found illegally cutting/trimming trees is a strong message to all those who violate norms. “I have decided to visit such locations on my own to check the facts on the ground. In case of genuine issues, the citizens can ask the tree authority of the PCMC to grant permission for tree trimming/cutting. The permission is given after the reason is justified. However, we have now decided to take stern action against miscreants if they are found involved in illegal tree cutting/pruning,” Khot said.