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BMC’s tree data rubbished
Mumbai: The BMC’s tree authority has almost completed its long overdue tree census: the procedure is likely to get over by July. According to the census, till April this year, there were 18,38,899 trees in 23 wards of the city. This figure excludes the green cover of Aarey Colony, Goregaon, and the Sanjay Gandhi National Park area.
However, crusaders for the protection of green cover do not have faith in the claims of the BMC regarding the census and the audits. “The figures seem to be bogus. It’s not possible to have more than 10 lakh trees, including Aarey Colony and Sanjay Gandhi National Park’’, said Nandkumar Naik of Friends of Trees.
“For the past two years, the BMC has given permission to cut around 10,000 trees, but no compliance report is available. There have been no checks to ensure that extra trees have been planted as promised,’’ he added.
The last tree census was carried out in 1998 though the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation and Protection of Trees Act says it should be done every five years. According to activists working for the conservation of trees, the number of trees was around 9 lakh then. A PIL was filed in the high court in February 2006 alleging the indiscriminate felling of trees.
In 2006, the tree authority entrusted the work of conducting a census of existing trees on all land, including private ones but excluding mangroves and forest land, to the Environment and Biotechnology Foundation.
The BMC has laid down specific guidelines to be followed while carrying out the survey. According to the format, information like location, plot number, name of the premises, area of the plot and open space have to be furnished by the enumerators.
In addition to the census, the BMC will also carry out regular audits every three months to ensure that those who cut trees also plant more, as promised. “Earlier, the audit used to be done every six months. We need to ensure that the undertaking of those who cut trees is properly complied with,’’ said municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak.
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