With Cyclone Tauktae leading to the uprooting of 812 trees, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar took objection to the practice of planting trees on the footpaths.
“We (BMC) are saying that native/indigenous trees should be planted. I personally feel that trees should not be planted on footpaths. There is no space for roots to breathe and grow on the (concretised) footpaths, roots are unable to anchor themselves in the ground because of which trees get uprooted,” she explained.
Among the 812 trees that were uprooted due to the cyclone, around 70 per cent were of non-native species such as royal palm, Gulmohar, rain tree, to name a few. As per Maharashtra (Urban Areas), Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, at least 1 metre of space should be left vacant around tree trunks.
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The civic garden department in 2019 asked the vigilance department to monitor footpath and road constructions to make sure these norms are followed. “It is absolutely necessary to follow this instruction to achieve the survival of trees and better maintenance of trees,” the department said in a circular at the time.
Meanwhile, Mayor Pednekar has said that she will request the Chief Minister to make changes to the Tree Authority Act so as to permit the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to trim branches of trees that are deemed dangerous or likely to be affected by another storm. It is estimated that around 1,454 tree branches fell as a result of the recent storm.
The Tree Authority was set up under the Maharashtra (Urban Areas), Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, with the ability to provide permissions to remove or shorten trees in the city.
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