Claims against experts baseless: Pardeshi

Fifteen days after two expert members of the civic body’s tree authority resigned against the backdrop of allegations of wrongdoing when the tree authority voted

Fifteen days after two expert members of the civic body’s tree authority resigned against the backdrop of allegations of wrongdoing when the tree authority voted in favour of cutting more than 2,000 trees to construct the Metro-3 car depot in Aarey Milk Colony, municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Monday clarified that allegations against the two expert members are baseless.

The authority approved the felling of 2,646 trees – 2,185 to be cut and 461 to be transplanted – on August 29. Eight voted for the proposal, six voted against it, two abstained voting and two were absent. (HT FILE)

After the tree authority committee sanctioned the cutting down of trees in end-August, some committee members had alleged that the experts were bribed to vote in favour of tree-felling.

In a statement issued on Monday, Pardeshi said, “I confirm that the charges made against the experts of any financial wrongdoing or unethical behaviour are totally baseless and as chairman of the tree committee, totally affirm that all the malicious charges made against you [the experts] are baseless.”

The BMC’s tree authority comprises of five external experts and corporators from Bharatiya Janata Party (4), Shiv Sena (6), Congress (2) and Nationalist Congress Party (1). The authority approved the felling of 2,646 trees – 2,185 to be cut and 461 to be transplanted – on August 29. Eight voted for the proposal, six voted against it, two abstained voting and two were absent.

Associate professor Shashirekha Sureshkumar, who is also the head of the botany department at Mithibai College, and scientist Chandrakant Salunkhe of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, who had voted in favour of cutting the trees, said they had not realised they were voting for the proposal. Both were unavailable for a comment on Monday. The two then resigned from the tree authority.

A week ago, HT had reported that Pardeshi had requested the two expert members to reconsider their resignations. The experts had recently approached the municipal commissioner stating that the allegations of corruption made by certain members had maligned their reputation at work and caused stress within their families.