Shiv Sena walks out of tree authority meet in Mumbai, says state is interfering in civic body’s work

Mumbai city news: The Sena walked out of the meeting protesting against the dilution of powers.

The Shiv Sena staged a walk out from the tree authority meeting saying that the state government’s was interfering in the civic body’s work. The Sena criticised the state government for granting the municipal commissioner power to sanction hacking of up to 25 trees for any project without the tree authority’s approval.

Yashwant Jadhav, Sena group leader, also called it an interference in the civic body and a decision against the environment. (HT)

According to the December 2016 state legislative bill, the municipal commissioner can approve cutting of up to 25 trees for any project without the tree authority’s permission. The Sena walked out of the meeting protesting against the dilution of powers.

Yashwant Jadhav, Sena group leader, also called it an interference in the civic body and a decision against the environment.

Jadhav has written to state environment minister and senior Shiv- Sena leader Ramdas Kadam to amend the state government rule and give the tree authority its power back. Jadhav has also written to municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

Under the ease of doing business manual, the state government legislative assembly had approved a bill giving civic chief powers to permit hacking of up to 25 trees. Following an order from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to reduce time taken to get permissions, a BMC review had revealed that the tree authority takes up the maximum time. The BMC in 2015 had suggested changing tree authority norms to ensure developers get quick permissions.

Before this new rule, the municipal commissioner had the power to permit cutting of nine trees without the tree authority’s approval and permits for a number that was more than this was given by the tree authority, which meets every 45 days. The authority is headed by the municipal commissioner, and its members include corporators and horticulturists.