State Tree Authority directs NHAI to submit detailed analysis of alternate sites for IMS
Staff Reporter
In the very first meeting of the Maharashtra State Tree Authority that was constituted recently by the State Government, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was directed to submit a detailed analysis of
alternate sites for Inter Modal Station (IMS).
Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B submitted a proposal before the Authority regarding felling of 4,930 trees in Ajni area for the construction of the IMS project.
NHAI asked for the permission of felling of such a huge number of trees for the project to local tree committee. In reply, NMC issued public notice and received 7,791 suggestions and objections on the proposal in the public domain.
With the new amendments in Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, the whole power of taking decision for tree felling has been transferred to State Tree Authority.
As per the Authority, NHAI informed the authority that the proposal was re-worked and alternative sites were exhaustively studied. “However, no other site was found to be suitable for the project,” the authority stated.
After hearing the presentation made by Municipal Commissioner, the authority decided to refer the case back for compliance as per the standard operating procedure (SOP). Citing the amended rules, the civic chief reportedly admitted that the proposal needs to be re-worked and should include tree census and age of trees.
The NMC had prepared the proposal before the new norms came into place, according to which any tree above 50 years comes under ‘heritage’ category and gets special protection.
Meanwhile, the tree authority asked NHAI to submit
analysis of alternate sites along with undertaking confirming the best suitable site for the project.
Green activist Anasuya Kale Chhabrani said, “The authority, after considering, was of the view that the project is incomplete and not well-researched. Also, no Environment Clearance (EC) and other major compliances have been done for the entire IMS project.”
Complete 490 acres of all the phases of IMS project should be taken into account, whereas in the other phases, trees have not been counted yet, she added.
“Alternative site analysis should not be of where the trees are to be transplanted, but also of the IMS project itself. For alternate site analysis, a research on MIHAN site can be done,” Chhabrani added.
Kaustav Chatterjee, Founder, Green Vigil Foundation said, “Changing the site in order to minimise the impact on the environment was one of the basic demands of all of us who raised objections. However, along with environmental considerations, site selection also depends on other important factors like cost economics, viability, logistics, etc.
“NHAI has committed that post objections, the proposal was reworked and alternative plans/options were exhaustively studied. Therefore, now, NHAI should make it public, the various options worked out,” he added.
Further, as of now, only counting of trees have been done, but, post recent amendment in Urban Tree Act, age as well as type of species have become very important criteria, as different species of different age have varying impact on environmental sustainability, Chatterjee added.
Thus, NMC and NHAI need to rework the entire counting exercise once again in order to present an in-depth picture of about 4,930 trees proposed to be cut. Involving all stakeholders during the counting exercise will make it more transparent, he stated.