This story is from September 7, 2021

Akola Municipal Corporation tries escape route on amended Tree Act

Akola Municipal Corporation tries escape route on amended Tree Act
Nagpur: Even as the state government has amended Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation & Protection of Trees Act, 1975 authorizing state tree authority to grant permission to fell trees above 200, municipal corporation officials have been finding escape routes.
In the latest case, the Akola Municipal Corporation (AMC) issued a public notice inviting objections from people before granting permission to fell trees.
It also included permission to fell 199 trees for the widening of NH-161 between Akola-Washim-Hingoli-Nanded.
To a question how the figure of 199 trees only was arrived, Akola tree officer Pradeep Rajurkar said, “As per amended rules, to fell 200 trees for any project requires the state authority permission hence, we have listed out 199 trees. We have not granted permission. The call will be taken by the tree authority headed by the municipal commissioner.”
NHAI project director Rakesh Jawade said, “We have sought permission to fell around 300 trees within the Akola municipal corporation limits.”
“If there are 300 trees that need to be felled, why the tree officer invited objection for 199 trees only. You have to read between the lines. This has ostensibly be done to bypass the new amended Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation & Protection of Trees Act, 1975. We will file our objections on Tuesday with the tree officer,” said environment activist from Akola Sheikh Mohammed Sheikh Makbul aka Munna.
Munna alleged that at least 19 trees more than 50 years of age were felled outside the Akola municipal limits from Prabhat Kids till Chandur Fata. Here too, the amended Act has been violated. The state environment ministry has already ordered an inquiry into the felling of over 153 ‘heritage’ trees recently in Akot Municipal Council limits.

“The Act mandates the authorities granting permission to declare 50-year-old trees as heritage trees. If at all these trees are felled the project proponent will have to plant trees equal to the age of the felled ones,” says Munna.
When pointed out, Akola municipal commissioner Nima Arora said, “The felled trees are not within municipal limit. No permission has been granted to fell the trees. The proposal will have to be sent to the state tree authority. We will cancel the said notification issued in local daily inviting objections.”
Munna alleged to misguide the people, the notice stated that the 199 trees that are proposed to be felled are between Patur and Medshi. “The stretch between Patur and Medshi is not in the jurisdiction of AMC. Then why the notice mentions about it,” he asked.
Tree officer Rajurkar said, “Patur-Medshi is the name of the highway, hence we made a mention about it.”
Munna says, the NH-161 is between Akola-Washim-Hingoli-Nanded and not what is mentioned in the public notice.
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