That’s tree-fic!
Malad residents plant 100 saplings to replace as many trees felled by builders ……..GEETA DESAI
These were the people who called the police when trees at a local BMC ground were felled illegally. And on Saturday, while Independence Day was being celebrated throughout the country, over 400 residents of Malad’s Jankalyan Nagar stepped out to plant saplings at a local park.
Between them, these green citizens planted 100 saplings to replace the 100 fully grown trees that were felled. Of these, around 30 saplings had been provided by the civic body.
“As August 15 approached, the Ganesh Prabhat Shakha (a society of morning walkers) of Jankalyan Nagar organised a programme, with BMC, to create awareness about global warming and why people should not be cruel to animals. Local residents took it upon themselves and knocked at each door in the area, asking people to join them in planting the saplings,” said Bhushan Wade, a resident of Miraj Residency.
Wade, a structural engineer, said the participants came from 60-70 housing societies. “There were children as well. And at 10.30 am on Saturday, we went to Bhoomi Park.” Wade was among those who rushed out of his house on June 23 when the trees were felled.
He added that on Saturday, the participants chanted slogans calling for the protection of the environment.
Satish Sinnarkar, one of the Shakaha members, said, “We wanted to maintain the green cover of the area. Of course, these saplings won’t be able to immediately compensate for the felled trees but, this was the least we could do. “The only good thing that has come off the June 23 incident is that residents have become more aware of the importance of trees.”
Besides locals, Director of the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Lt. Col (Dr) J C Khanna, Environmentalist Mrs Krishnakumari J, Animal activist Dr Nandini Kulkarni, Ex-Director of the Mumbai District Co-operative Housing Federation Ltd, R D Gala, and Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ashwin Khanolkar P-North also attended the event.
RESIDENTS STAND UP FOR FALLEN TREES
RESIDENTS STAND UP FOR FALLEN TREES
Mumbai Mirror had reported in its June 25 edition that residents of Jankalyan Nagar had tried to stop the felling of trees on a BMC plot on June 23.The municipal plot was reserved for a school playground. However, builders who were carrying out construction activities on a nearby plot, allegedly encroached on this plot.
The residents rushed down to save the trees and complained to the Malwani Police Station and P/North ward office. Khanolkar registered a complaint at the police station.
He said that the two builders have been booked under the Tree Act and a case is on at the Small Cause Court. “If proved guilty, they will be imprisoned for six months,” he added.