Maharashtra’s tree authority nod to 8 infra projects, 1,845 trees to be felled
The tree authority is tasked with monitoring the functioning of local tree authorities, protection and conservation of heritage trees (trees with an estimated age of 50 years or more) and felling of heritage trees.
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In the first meeting on January 17, none of the 12 felling/transplantation proposals was approved pending a standard operating procedure (SOP). (File)The Maharashtra State Tree Authority has approved all the eight infrastructure projects proposed by the urban local bodies, paving the way for 1,845 trees, including 199 heritage trees, to be felled across the state.
In the authority’s second meeting on May 26, tree felling proposals of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority – for construction of Sewri-Worli connector (305 trees to be felled), Metro corridor 2 from Kalanagar to Bandra-Kurla Complex (52 trees), Metro viaduct from D N Nagar to Nanavati Hospital (41 trees) and four-lane national highway in Akola (184 trees) – were approved.
In the first meeting on January 17, none of the 12 felling/transplantation proposals was approved pending a standard operating procedure (SOP). A SOP was then prepared, which mentioned that the agencies/urban local bodies that want to fell or transplant trees will have to give live Google Map location and details like the name, age, species and status of the tree (to be felled/transplanted/retained).
“The tree authority has received several proposals, which are not in consonance with the amended provisions of the Tree Act, 1975. To ensure that each proposal is in accordance with the amended law, the following SOP is proposed,” read the minutes of the first meeting.
The state government in January had constituted the tree authority and appointed a chairman and three members. The authority is tasked with monitoring the functioning of local tree authorities, protection and conservation of heritage trees (trees with an estimated age of 50 years or more) and felling of heritage trees.
It also looks into projects that would need the felling of more than 200 trees five years old or more, among others. For any project that plans to fell at least 200 such trees, the authority is responsible for deciding on the applications referred to it by the local municipal tree authorities. Only after its sanction, the project can move forward.
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