As part of the pre-monsoon works, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Parks Department carries out pruning of large trees, especially tree branches that can be dangerous. However, the BMC is now considering pruning of tree branches within the boundaries of societies, private and government establishments and recovering it through property tax, as per the report by Maharashtra Times.
In this regard, the BMC will soon hold a meeting of officials from the Tax Assessment, Collection and Garden Departments. A senior municipal official said that if this decision is made, it will be a blow to societies, private and government establishments that neglect the pruning of dangerous tree branches within their boundaries.
There are a total of approximately 29 lakh 75 thousand trees within the limits of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Out of these, more than 1.5 lakh trees are in the premises of private institutions and the remaining trees are in government buildings, under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, as well as in the premises of various establishments.
These trees are surveyed before the monsoon season to determine pruning work. Trees that are small and pose no threat are not considered in the survey. Municipalities prune trees within their boundaries. However, societies, as well as private and government establishments, often neglect to prune trees within their boundaries.
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The Parks Department issues notices to complete tree pruning. While some private and government properties comply with this, some property owners do not. Therefore, there is no option but to issue repeated notices. The Municipal Parks Department takes action against societies or establishments that neglect the implementation of branch pruning. If an accident occurs due to a dangerous tree branch falling within their boundaries, the responsibility falls on the societies and establishments as well as the Municipal Corporation.
Therefore, as a drastic measure, the civic body has chosen the option of recovering the amount from property tax if the municipal corporation prunes the branches of trees within the boundaries of societies and establishments. This was discussed last year as well. However, the municipal corporation is insistent on implementing it. A meeting was held in the municipal corporation's tax assessment and collection department and the garden department before this year's monsoon.
Now, once again, a meeting will be held soon between both the departments of the Municipal Corporation. The Parks Department will be asked to send a proposal in this regard, said a senior official. There are 24 wards in Mumbai. Information will be sought from societies, private and government establishments in the wards that are not trimming tree branches and ignoring the municipal corporation's notices.