PMC garden dept serves notice to water supply dept as residents complain of illegal tree cutting
In 1975, the PMC had identified more than one acre of land for a water tank in survey number 44 on Vetal Tekdi but the land was lying idle. The corporation has now decided to level this land and construct a compound wall as part of the 24x7 equitable water supply scheme
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) garden department has served notice to the water supply department after residents and environmentalists alleged that trees on Vetal Tekdi were hacked for the construction of a compound wall without taking due permission from the tree authority.
In 1975, the PMC had identified more than one acre of land for a water tank in survey number 44 on Vetal Tekdi but the land was lying idle. The corporation has now decided to level this land and construct a compound wall as part of the 24x7 equitable water supply scheme, and has allotted the job to a contractor who has already started the work. In so doing, the contractor has axed trees without taking due permission according to the residents and environmentalists.
Sushma Date, member of the Deccan Gymkhana Parisar Samiti, said, “The PMC has chopped around 25 trees on Vetal Tekdi for construction of a compound wall. It is disputed land and the corporation has been forced to stop work on the Law College side. We approached the garden department which finally conducted a panchanama of the trees and served notice to the concerned officer of the water supply department.”
“Common people have to take permission even to chop a single branch of a tree and then follow a long procedure. But the PMC just goes ahead and cuts trees,” Date said.
{{/usCountry}}“Common people have to take permission even to chop a single branch of a tree and then follow a long procedure. But the PMC just goes ahead and cuts trees,” Date said.
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Anil Sable, a garden department official attached to the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office, said, “Local resident of the Deccan area, Sushma Date, has registered a complaint about unauthorised tree cutting on Vetal Tekdi. Based on the complaint, we sent a notice to water supply department officials for further explanation. However, we found that the water department has followed all procedures as per the law to raze the trees.”
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Anil Sable, a garden department official attached to the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office, said, “Local resident of the Deccan area, Sushma Date, has registered a complaint about unauthorised tree cutting on Vetal Tekdi. Based on the complaint, we sent a notice to water supply department officials for further explanation. However, we found that the water department has followed all procedures as per the law to raze the trees.”
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Nandkumar Jagtap, superintending officer of the water supply department, said, “The PMC has acquired land from the forest department in 1975 for a water tank. Since we did not know the size of the plot, we demarcated the land and we will use it for an underground tank under the 24x7 water supply project. Right now, we are constructing a compound wall to avoid any encroachment. For that, we have taken permission from the tree authority as per the law. We razed the trees and we will transplant them as per the law.”
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Nandkumar Jagtap, superintending officer of the water supply department, said, “The PMC has acquired land from the forest department in 1975 for a water tank. Since we did not know the size of the plot, we demarcated the land and we will use it for an underground tank under the 24x7 water supply project. Right now, we are constructing a compound wall to avoid any encroachment. For that, we have taken permission from the tree authority as per the law. We razed the trees and we will transplant them as per the law.”
{{/usCountry}}According to the PMC water supply department, the proposed water tank will help supply regular and equitable water to Kothrud, and some part of the Senapati Bapat Road area. Department officials said it is very important to have a water tank in this part of the city. There are three water tanks in the hilly areas namely Panchavati, Vetal Tekdi and the Fergusson College area. Environmentalists had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the PMC but the NGT gave a verdict in favour of the PMC, the officials said.
