The illegal chopping of 17 fully grown trees for the construction of a private hospital in Nagpur’s Trimurti Nagar area has escalated into a major controversy. Following a complaint by tree crusader Sachin Khobragade, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) issued a notice to Dr. Ashish Ganjare of Aureus Hospital, but named Swapnil Ingale in complaint lodged with police. Subsequently, Khobragade has demanded an FIR be filed against Dr. Ganjare.
In a letter sent to Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr. Abhijit Chaudhary, Sachin Khobragade highlighted that on December 28, 2023, he had requested information about Dr. Ashish Ganjare’s assurance to plant 2,596 trees before cutting down 57 trees on his land in Trimurti Nagar. However, instead of providing the requested information, Dr. Ganjare illegally felled 17 trees without permission from the NMC’s Garden Department. Khobragade subsequently filed an online complaint regarding this matter on February 21, 2024.
Khobragade stated that, in response to his complaint, the Garden Department Superintendent issued a notice to Dr. Ganjare on February 26, seeking clarification within seven days regarding the illegal felling of 17 trees. However, in a surprising turn, the letter sent to Pratap Nagar police requested an FIR against Swapnil Ravindra Ingale under the provisions of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, instead of Dr. Ganjare. Khobragade claimed that this action by the Garden Department Superintendent indicates an attempt to shield the main offender.
Khobragade has demanded filing of an offence against Dr Ganjare under Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act, 1975 for illegally chopping 17 trees for construction of a hospital in Trimurti Nagar.