Hundreds of trees hacked for houses, golf course at Nerul

Contractors of City Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (Cidco) began tree felling to construct a residential colony and golf course at NRI Seawoods Complex

Contractors of City Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (Cidco) began tree felling to construct a residential colony and golf course at NRI Seawoods Complex (Talawe wetlands) in sector 60, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, on Sunday.

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Soon after, local residents and environmentalists filed complaints with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and local police to stop felling of trees. However, more than 500 trees had been cut between 8am and 3pm, said residents.

“Tree felling stopped only after NMMC officers and police personnel reached the site. By then a large number of trees were hacked,” said Sunil Agarwal, resident and petitioner before the Bombay high court (HC).

Cidco’s tree authority granted the permission to cut 724 trees, transplant five, and retain 13 trees across two pockets (D and E) for the project to its contractor Mistry Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd. on December 11, 2019. A copy of the permission is with Hindustan Times. As compensatory measure, the contractor was directed to plant 1,448 trees (twice the trees felled) and an additional of 168 trees on a plot at the Central Park site in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.

Cidco, the planning agency for Navi Mumbai, along with Mistry Construction, proposed 17 buildings with 1,564 flats, 20 offices, and an 18-hole golf course near Talawe wetlands in 2002.

The petitioner alleged that tree cutting was in contempt of court, as the matter was still being heard by the Supreme Court (SC). The next hearing is scheduled on January 14. “The SC never passed an order to commence construction... Cidco and their contractor have wilfully violated the HC’s order without consulting NMMC or the forest department,” said Agarwal.

On July 19, 2019, the SC stayed an order by the HC scrapping the construction.

While Cidco’s horticultural officer (tree authority) Geeta Sawant, who issued permissions for tree, refused to comment, associate planner Mithilesh Patil said building construction permissions might have been issued much earlier.

A spokesperson from Mistry Construction said, “We have only followed permissions granted by Cidco for tree felling.”

NMMC commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, “I have instructed officers to check permissions, and inquire why tree felling began suddenly, and also why NMMC was not informed about it. Action will be taken in case of illegality.”

“Contractors should have submitted their permission to the local police station before commencing tree felling; it has been stopped at the moment,” said a police officer from NRI Coastal Police station.