Mumbai, November 27 The green stretch along the sweeping curve leading to the Haji Ali dargah in Mahalaxmi will soon lose its trees. The Tree Authority on Tuesday gave permission to cut 84 of the existing 87 trees along this route as part of the Haji Ali beautification project.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to develop a promenade and beautify the Haji Ali area for visitors to enjoy its sea view. For the purpose, the trees obstructing the proposed alignment of the project will have to be removed, according to civic officials. Accordingly, a proposal was tabled before the Tree Authority for granting permission for the “removal of trees in the work of proposed alignment of beautification and development of Haji Ali promenade”.

The Tree Authority, in a meeting on Tuesday, approved the proposal, which seeks removal of 84 trees, including 68 coconut trees.

Authority member Dilip Shinde, who inspected the site earlier this month, said, “All committee members approved the proposal and there was not much discussion. However, we have asked them (BMC) to replant the trees in the locality,”’ he said.

According to BMC figures, in the past five years permission was granted for cutting 35,000 trees while 55,000 saplings were planted during this period.

Friends of Trees general secretary Nandkumar Naik, who had earlier protested against five-laning of Peddar Road as it required tree felling of a large number of trees, has decided to oppose the proposal. “That is one of the best roads in the city and is always green. If 84 trees are cut, the road will turn barren. Beautification at the cost of cutting the trees is improper,” he said.

Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, who is the also the chairman of the Tree Authority, said that 51 other proposals of tree-felling were also cleared on Tuesday. “It must be the requirement of the project and therefore permission was granted. As per the rules, double the number of trees felled will be planted,” said Phatak, who himself stays near Lala Lajpat Rai Road.

Naik said the proposal stated that 20 trees would be cut and remaining would be replanted but re-plantation hardly works. “Re-plantation needs to be done scientifically, and the BMC does not have the required expertise,” Naik said, adding that “transplanting” was the word used by the civic body to please environmentalists and tree-lovers.

Environmentalist Debi Goenka said that he was shocked at the proposal. “The Tree Authority never sticks notices on the trees that are proposed to be felled as per the Maharashtra (urban areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees act, 1975. How are the citizens supposed to know about the removal of trees then?” he asked.

Url: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/84-trees-to-go-for-Haji-Ali-promenade-beautification/244303/