Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 27: A major environmental controversy has surfaced in Kharghar’s Sector 34B after the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) granted permission to cut 24 mature trees on a plot reportedly earmarked earlier for a public park.

The permission was granted to Mumbai-based Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM), which operates the nearby NMIMS campus, for the development of a playground for its proposed Composite School and Junior College project.

According to official documents, the PMC Tree Authority approved the tree-felling request on May 15. The permission letter, digitally signed by PMC Deputy Commissioner and Tree Officer Swarup Manik Kharage, stated that the trees were obstructing development activities on Plot No. 01.

Out of 56 trees present on the site, permission was granted to remove 24 trees, including wild trees, tamarind trees, babool, jamun, savar, mango and karanj varieties.

The issue has triggered strong opposition from local residents, who alleged that the land was originally intended to be developed as a public green space.

Residents also questioned CIDCO’s decision to allegedly lease the plot for institutional purposes instead of preserving it as a neighbourhood park.

Binu Thankappan, a resident of Sector 34, expressed concern over the shrinking green cover in Kharghar and questioned why public land was being handed over to a private educational institution.

Meanwhile, Vijay Sah, a security guard stationed at the site, said nearly 12 trees were cut on Saturday after work began in the morning and continued till evening under official permission.

To compensate for the environmental loss, PMC has directed SVKM to plant 211 saplings within 30 days of receiving the approval letter.

The trust has also deposited Rs 2.40 lakh as security with the civic body. Under the conditions imposed by PMC, the institution must submit quarterly progress reports on the survival and maintenance of the saplings for the next seven years.

The civic body warned that failure to maintain the new plantation would result in forfeiture of the security deposit and possible criminal action under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975.

When contacted regarding the matter, the office of SVKM chairman Amrish Patel reportedly stated that he was currently away in his constituency and that they were unaware of the tree-cutting activity taking place at the Kharghar site.