PMC asks forest dept. for 200 hectares for replantation of project-affected trees
As such, the PMC is now required to replant more than one tree for every tree that is chopped down for a development project
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has requested the state forest department to provide 200 hectares of land for replantation of project-affected trees within the PMC limits. Reason being more land is needed to replant trees due to rapid urbanisation as well as the amendment (2021) of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, which now mandates that trees equivalent to the age of the tree felled for a development project be replanted. As such, the PMC is now required to replant more than one tree for every tree that is chopped down for a development project.
Ashok Ghorpade, chief superintendent of the garden department, said, “The PMC commissioner has written a letter to the forest department to provide 200 hectares of land for replantation of trees in the coming days. Due to development in the city, we have undertaken various development projects. Therefore, we need land for replantation. Besides that, residents as well as developers are also demanding land from the PMC for replantation purposes.”
“Last year, the PMC commissioner had sent a letter to the forest department. However, the PMC did not get any response till date. At present, we have the Uruli-Devachi garbage depot, forest land in the surrounding hills. But that is not enough to cater to the need for land to replant trees as per the 2021 amendment,” he said.
One of the senior officials of the PMC garden department said, “The situation is going to worsen in the coming decade due to rapid urbanisation within the Pune city limits. There are numerous development projects underway in the city, such as the metro, road-widening, Mula-Mutha riverfront development, bridges, flyovers, water supply projects, construction of sewage treatment plants, etc. These are the PMC’s own projects. Besides that, there is a lot of development taking place in the private sector, especially in the housing construction sector. Both the government and private sectors will have to cut and replant trees during their projects.”
“Developers don’t have land to plant trees; therefore, they approach the PMC to provide land. Currently, we are providing it, but in the future, it will be very difficult to obtain land for replantation of trees affected by our own projects. How can we provide land to developers in the future?” the official said.
Despite attempts to contact Mahadev Mohite, district forest officer, he remained unavailable for comment.