BMC conducts emergency tree survey to prevent tree fall in summer

MUMBAI: After the pre-summer heatwave and high temperatures last week, the BMC on Monday undertook an emergency tree survey called ‘Dead Dangerous Tree’ to identify those trees on the city’s roads that had weakened over time due to low moisture and concretisation around their base. About 1,000 trees are expected to be surveyed in the next eight days, with officials prioritising areas with ongoing road concretisation.

Ideally, trees need as much area as their canopy to grow. “But contractors don’t leave the one-square-metre space that’s required for the roots,” said the official. “Additionally, they tend to park cement and mixtures in the block secured for trees, which then mixes with the soil and affects the trees’ stability. Utility providers too loosen the soil when they dug trenches. People tend to complain about the cutting of branches but cutting of roots is a much bigger ill that they should focus on.”

Activist Godfrey Pimenta wrote to the state environment department on Monday to complain about excessive concretisation of 50 trees in Sahar village, Andheri East. ‘The trees are suffocated by concrete laid tightly around the roots preventing water percolation and air circulation,’ stated the letter.

In 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the BMC to remove concrete in a radius of one metre around the trees. “The road department is well aware of this rule, and we are supposed to ensure that adequate space is left around the trees,” said Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner (projects), BMC. The Tree Authority has sent letters to the concerned ward officials about the problem, asking them to follow the NGT directions and take action against erring contractors.

Environmental activist Zoru Bhathena filed a PIL on April 17, 2024 in the Bombay high court for proper space to be left for trees on both sides of the roads and the existing ones to be protected. “The BMC was asked by the high court to make a road policy, but when they did, no consideration was given to the trees,” he said. “By law, we are supposed to have trees on both sides of the roads.”