6 days Ago By Aditi Shekar
Pune: Residents have demanded that the civic administration carry out compensatory afforestation in amenity spaces in Kothrud and Bavdhan, as PMC plans to fell over 100 trees for redevelopment projects. During a hearing held at the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office on April 21, citizens objected to Pune Municipal Corporation 's (PMC) approval to fell over 100 heritage trees without any scientific analysis for multiple redevelopment projects in the area. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune They also demanded that the civic body identify all amenity spaces and conduct plantation drives on them.
In addition, citizens demanded that the trees be replanted on the project premises to avoid uneven green cover in the city. "There are only so many amenity spaces in Kothrud and none in Dahanukar Colony. We want them to conduct the plantation of all the saplings in the amenity spaces to ensure no loss of green cover.
More importantly, they should do it on the project premises. We are also trying to revive the Smruti Van in Warje where the compensatory plantation can take place," said Ameet Singh, a citizen who attended the hearing. Residents objected to the felling of trees without completion of the tree census, a lack of transparency with project documents, and no scientific age calculation.
They also objected to the lack of alternative project plans, non-compliance with road and urban planning designs, no identified compensatory plantation locations and failed transplantation. "PMC is supposed to plant over 1,600 saplings as compensation for March. Moreover, our motive is to get the trees transplanted, as some trees would be felled for the projects nevertheless.
Kothrud is already concrete enough, and now, with the redevelopment and felling, heat will only grow, and the last of the green cover will deplete," said Rekha Joshi, another citizen at the meeting. The attendees pointed out that many of these trees are old and heritage trees. The applicants for the tree felling proposals were also present at the hearing and agreed with the citizens' objections.
"The meeting was successful as the applicants will now try to transplant all the felled trees on the project premises. If not, they replant the trees on other amenity spaces," said Vijay Naikal, assistant commissioner, Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office. Pune: Residents have demanded that the civic administration carry out compensatory afforestation in amenity spaces in Kothrud and Bavdhan, as PMC plans to fell over 100 trees for redevelopment projects.
During a hearing held at the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office on April 21, citizens objected to Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) approval to fell over 100 heritage trees without any scientific analysis for multiple redevelopment projects in the area. They also demanded that the civic body identify all amenity spaces and conduct plantation drives on them. In addition, citizens demanded that the trees be replanted on the project premises to avoid uneven green cover in the city.
"There are only so many amenity spaces in Kothrud and none in Dahanukar Colony. We want them to conduct the plantation of all the saplings in the amenity spaces to ensure no loss of green cover. More importantly, they should do it on the project premises.
We are also trying to revive the Smruti Van in Warje where the compensatory plantation can take place," said Ameet Singh, a citizen who attended the hearing. Residents objected to the felling of trees without completion of the tree census, a lack of transparency with project documents, and no scientific age calculation. They also objected to the lack of alternative project plans, non-compliance with road and urban planning designs, no identified compensatory plantation locations and failed transplantation.
"PMC is supposed to plant over 1,600 saplings as compensation for March. Moreover, our motive is to get the trees transplanted, as some trees would be felled for the projects nevertheless. Kothrud is already concrete enough, and now, with the redevelopment and felling, heat will only grow, and the last of the green cover will deplete," said Rekha Joshi, another citizen at the meeting.
The attendees pointed out that many of these trees are old and heritage trees. The applicants for the tree felling proposals were also present at the hearing and agreed with the citizens' objections. "The meeting was successful as the applicants will now try to transplant all the felled trees on the project premises.
If not, they replant the trees on other amenity spaces," said Vijay Naikal, assistant commissioner, Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office..
