Greens call for action after 35 trees cut & sold illegally
| Tree cutting at Pune Rly Police HQ sparks outcry
In an exclusive story, The Free Press Journal on June 29 highlighted how 35 mature green trees were chopped at the Pune Railway Police Headquarters in Khadki without obtaining the necessary permissions from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and sold illegally in January this year. Taking cognisance of the story, environmentalists in the city are demanding action against the perpetrators who committed this crime of diminishing the green cover of the city.
Dhananjay Shedbale, Trustee, Devrai Foundation, said, "Government agencies are not serious regarding such issues. They wait for the media to highlight them. That is the apathy of our society. Responsible people should be punished. Unfortunately, there is no proper vigilance. This is the collusion of the timber mafias. Murderers of green trees should be punished. National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Bombay High Court should interfere in such matters."
Ameet Singh, founder, Pune Samvad, added, "These trees are the property of the public and it is the PMC's responsibility to find out the culprits. They have committed a crime and criminal action should be taken against them. PMC should conduct a thorough investigation into what these people have done on government premises. The civic body should file an FIR against what they have done."
Hema Chari, an environmentalist, expressed, "Nowadays many people in Pune request permission for minor tree trimming and then go overboard and cut down the whole tree instead, which is completely illegal. The tree authority seems to be failing to take timely action in these situations. Given that this particular incident occurred on police premises, it must be addressed seriously and the process be expedited."
Meanwhile, Samaiirah India, a social activist, went to the Khadki Police Station on Monday to complain about the illegal tree felling. However, inspector Girish Divaghar said an FIR cannot be lodged in this case. "It's a matter of departmental inquiry. Give them time till July 5," he stated.
After the police refused to lodge a complaint, the activist told this newspaper that she was deeply concerned about this blatant disregard for the rules and the environment. "As stewards of our natural resources, we must hold those responsible accountable. Therefore, we demand a thorough investigation into this incident and strict action against all those involved in this unauthorised act. The responsible parties must understand the gravity of their actions and the impact they have on our community and environment. We urge the authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future and that there is stringent adherence to environmental regulations. The officers present at the time should face strict punishment or be restricted from such activities in the future," she added.
We demand a thorough investigation into this incident and strict action against all those involved in this unauthorised act – Samaiirah India social activist