Tree Cutting

Shiv Sena, who has started ruling Maharashtra  is having alliance with Congress & NCP. Shiv Sena who was earlier supporting BJP in last assembly had shown their opposition to cutting of trees, although that time SC stayed the tree cutting after HC allowed the same, for Metro Car Shed in Aarey for Mumbai Metro 3 line, but till that time most of the trees required for car shed had been cut.

After taking oath as CM of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackrey ordered a stay on the car shed work at Aarey, at that time he had said “ In my presence, not a single tree of leaf will be allowed to be cut in Aarey.”

Now according to press report, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) which is under control of Shiv Sena for last 25 years, wants to cut down thousand trees to make way for a Bal Thackrey memorial in Priyadarshini Park.

This decision of the AMC comes after Shiv Sena Chief and CM Uddhav Thackrey had stopped work on a Metro car shed at Aarey in Mumbai, claiming that project would require felling of trees.

Much like Aarey, this park is also considered as green lung for Aurangabad city. Reportedly, Priyadarshini Park is dense wood that spans across 17 acres. It is also used for walking, jogging and other leisure activities. As per environmental activists it is home to many  species of butterflies, birds, reptiles and other mammals. However the Sena which runs AMC now wants to built Bal Thackrey memorial by felling thousand of tree there. The memorial will also have amphitheatre,  museum and a food court. The total cost of project will be around Rs 61 Cr.

A petition is filed in the  Bombay High Court, and as per the petition the AMC’s own project report says, there is need to cut at least 1000 trees. AMC’s affidavit in court is silent on the number of trees need to be cut for the project. In fact, in an advertisement published by AMC in local newspaper, it had invited tenders for the cutting of 330 trees. The park was taken over by the AMC from City & Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), on the terms that  the AMC will maintain a public garden there. The petition says that the condition of the park has been deteriorated since it is taken over by AMC from CIDCO and more than 1200 trees have been either cut or dried up. The fact is that, the CIDCO had handed over the land in 1980 to Mahatma Gandhi Mission to develop this land, who converted the barren land to a lush green park over the years by planting more than 10,000 trees.

Aurangabad Mayor has denied the reports that tree are being cut for the memorial, but their affidavit in the Bombay HC says something different.

For last few days this controversy has given field to the detractors of Shiv Sena and there had been tweeter war going on  in the social media. Citing a newspaper reort Amruta Fadnavis, a banker, and the wife of    Maharshtra’s Ex CM Devendra Fadnavis tweeted “ Hypocrisy is disease! Get well soon @Shivsena, adding that the felling of trees at the Sena’s convenience or allowing tree cutting only when you earn commission, was an unpardonable sin”. Priyanka Chaturvedi was quick to respond, stating that “ while she was sorry to disappoint, not a single tree will be cut for this memorial. Also just to be clear, compulsive lying is bigger disease, get well soon. Commission to cut trees is   policy measure promoted by @bjpmaha?”

Now this allegation and counter allegations will be continuing between these former alliance partners in future also. If you go by past history of Sena, the party is famous for turning 180 degrees after issuing a controversial statement, and in this case also it might backfire on them.

In my opinion one thing is certain, the govts at centre and states do not have any firm policy with regards of cutting of trees or clearing a green area. It is a known fact that no infra of big industrial projects can  be completed without clearing/cutting trees or clearing green cover. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) works in whimsical manner, and it always depends on the integrity of the Board members to give MOEF clearance or not. Friends you might remember during UPA 2 , it was rumour in the market unless you pay Jatanti Natrajan tax, your project will not be cleared. Jayanti Natrajan was MOEF minister in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet.

It is high time that there should be a concrete policy on this matter, otherwise there will be many petitions in the various courts of the country, and lawyers are going to make money. These NGO’s who might be getting funding from some dubious sources will file the petitions, looking into which party is in the govt against whom the petition is filed. I have never heard a petition filed against Delhi Metro, when their work was in full swing or against Calcutta Metro, who are constructing underground Metro in Calcutta, which is even passing under Hoogly river.

The point is these unnecessary/self interest petitions delay the  project, and as per press report Metro 3 line in Mumbai is incurring a lost of Rs 4.3 Cr per day. This delay is going to add on to the project cost, which in the end is taxpayer’s money.

Waiting for your views/comments/feed backs.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

9^th Dec 2019.