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Locals protest cement-concretisation of 40 tree trunks on Kalyaninagar footpath
On Wednesday, environmental activists Sameer Nikam and Shailesh Rajgure spotted concrete work in lane number 7 of Kalyani Nagar which completely covered the trunks of fully-grown trees
After a public works department (PWD) contractor allegedly covered nearly 40 tree trunks on the footpath with cement-concrete, local residents are protesting and demanding action against the person/s responsible.
On Wednesday, environmental activists Sameer Nikam and Shailesh Rajgure spotted concrete work in lane number 7 of Kalyani Nagar which completely covered the trunks of fully-grown trees. Subsequently, they rushed to the Nagar Road ward office and filed a written complaint against the contractor and demanded action.
Ashok Ghorpade, chief superintendent, PMC garden department, said, “We received phone calls from local residents regarding the cement-concretisation of tree trunks. We sent tree officials to Nagar Road to inspect and file a report.”
“During an enquiry, we found out that the work was carried out by a PWD contractor. Therefore, we initiated a process to send notice to the concerned contractor,” Ghorpade said.
Sandeep Chavan, tree official, Nagar Road ward office, said, “After receiving complaints on Wednesday, we visited the area and found nearly 40 trees on the footpath completely covered with cement-concrete. The activity was going on at night in lane number 7…”
Nikam said, “We demanded strong action against the concerned person. It is harmful to Nature and dangerous to residents also.”
Vijay Deshmukh, a resident of Kalyani Nagar, said, “The PMC now claims that the work has been carried out by a PWD contractor. However, it is the duty of PMC officials to oversee what happens in their area.”
Dr Sachin Punekar, conservation biologist and founder of Biosphere, said, “These practices are completely unethical and must stop immediately. Strong action should be taken as soon as possible. This act disturbs the soil around the trees, making their roots weak and susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections. As a result, the trees may fall during the monsoon season.”
