MUMBAI, August 15: In the lush green campus of the Veermata Jijabai Technical Institute (VJTI) at Matunga, 44 trees were cut at the branches under the pretext of `pruning' by a private contractor hired by the Brihan mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The F/North ward officer S K Karvande had given permission to VJTI to prune the branches of 44 overgrown trees, including ashoka, jamun, mango, gulmohar and rain trees. However, it was specified that only those branches with a diameter less than six inches could be cut. Surprisingly, though, the contractor had been carting away huge logs from the VJTI campus for two consecutive weekends, but the college authorities have woken up only now, after the National Society of Friends of the Trees pointed to the cutting down of the branches.The Friends of the Trees today complained to municipal commissioner K Nalinakshan, who is also chairman of the Tree Authority, about the excessive cutting of trees. They also sent a letter to VJTI, who have now bannedfurther cutting of the branches and the taking away of precious wood. ``After I got to know about the excessive cutting, I immediately contacted the VJTI Principal Dr S G Vinzanekar and urged him to file a police complaint against the contractor. However, the VJTI authorities did not even know the name of the contractor hired by the F/North ward office,'' said a member of Friends of the Trees, Nandu N Naik.Though Vinzanekar was not available for comment, a letter written by him to ward officer Karvande on August 11 states: ``Your contractor has indulged in excessive cutting of trees giving the reason of balancing of trees, etc, particularly at the north end of the VJTI campus near the mechanical engineering department. Since cutting is a criminal offence, we request you to take the necessary action, including police action, against the contractor.'' Vinzanekar's letter further states: ``VJTI has one of the richest greenery in the area and has been holding the Friends of the Trees exhibition for anumber of years. Our request for pruning the trees certainly does not mean the excessive cutting that the contractor has indulged in.''When contacted today, ward officer Karvande said he has asked the BMC horticulturist to give a detailed report on the excessive cutting. ``I will know who the particular contractor was after I talk to my horticulturist,'' the ward officer said.The BMC Superintendent of Gardens, K L Velodi, however, squarely blamed the VJTI for not keeping a strict vigil at the time of pruning. ``At least the security officer of VJTI should have inspected the pruning work carried out in the campus,'' said Velodi.
