A case of illegal tree cutting has come to light inside the MHADA City residential complex near Ganeshpeth, Cotton Market, and Subhash Road. Local residents reported that 5–6 trees on the internal road divider and along the footpath near the southern Hanuman temple were chopped down without mandatory permission from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) Garden Department.
According to eyewitnesses, simple pruning of branches would have sufficed, but instead the trees were axed completely up to four feet above the ground, sparking widespread anger among citizens.
Speculation is rife that the cutting was done by a contractor of a private construction company, allegedly on the instructions of some colony residents. However, no application for tree-cutting permission was filed. The area officially falls under MHADA’s jurisdiction, yet even MHADA officials admitted they had no knowledge of the incident. “We were not informed. Anyway, permission for tree cutting must be taken from NMC. We will gather details,” said MHADA’s chief officer, Vijay Ingole.
Shockingly, NMC’s Garden Department too was unaware. Garden Superintendent Amol Chorpagar confirmed that no application had been received for tree cutting in MHADA City. “If trees have been felled without permission, we will file an FIR against those responsible,” he stated.
Sources also revealed that in addition to roadside trees, green cover on vacant plots reserved for facilities like a community hall was cleared — small shrubs as well as larger trees were removed.
Residents now demand accountability, calling it a blatant violation of environmental rules carried out in broad daylight under the nose of the authorities.
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