Tree preservation: Pune activists demand action against tree dept officials for inexcusable neglect

The activists demand that the then and currently working tree officers responsible for the loss of three Banyan trees at Yerwada jail road should be held responsible and action should be taken against them as per Tree Preservation Act and other applicable laws.

They also demand that in Wanwadi and other places in Pune city, action should be taken against the tree officers and related employees for the damage of fallen, broken, damaged trees during the period of May to June 2024 as per the prevailing law.

Also a request has also been made for publishing a white paper regarding tree felling, tree replanting, tree planting to be done by various departments of PMC for compensation of trees cut for various works and annual tree planting to be done as per Tree Act in the last five years.

The letter signed by Rupesh Keserkar, activist, coordinator of Pratyancha, says, “In the last few years, thousands of trees have been uprooted in the city due to monsoonal and unseasonal rains and wind. The reasons for this are excessive concretisation, unrestricted road digging along with inexcusable neglect by the tree authority. In the last five years, permission has been granted for the felling of around 50,000 trees. The work to be done regarding planting new trees, planting trees as compensation is being completely neglected.”