To make way for sewage treatment plant, PCMC plans to chop down over 1,500 trees.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has decided to chop down as many as 1,527 trees to create space for a sewage treatment plant in Chikhli area. Of the 1,527 trees, PCMC will transplant 227 trees to another piece of land in the city.

The decision, taken by the Tree Authority of PCMC, has not gone down well with some of the corporators who are in the committee, as well as environmentalists in the city. They have argued that instead of chopping down so many trees, a solution should be found to save as many trees as possible by striking a balance between developmental and environmental concerns.

“The civic body is setting up a sewage treatment plant in Chikhli area, on government land. Since 2013, we have been looking for an ideal spot to set up the plant. The spot where the STP will be set up has a large number of trees. I don’t have the exact figure, but, yes, a large number of trees will have to be felled to make way for the STP,” PCMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Santosh Patil told The Indian Express,

Patil said as per his information, there were at least 1,100 “bushy plants” in the area. “We have found that a large part of the land is covered with small, bushy and thorny plants, which are basically shrubs. We will have to clear them, but that will happen in phases. The STP project will be implemented in three phases. Our effort will be to save the maximum number of trees. And therefore, we are also initiating steps to transplant the trees,” he said.

PCMC executive engineer Pravin Ladkat said the STP, with 300 MLD (millions of litres per day) capacity, was estimated to cost Rs 48 crore. He confirmed that the civic body plans to cut down 1,527 trees. “The decision has been taken after a survey by the Garden department, which has given us a go-ahead. If the department says don’t cut a certain number of trees or withdraws the green signal for the project, we will shift it. But as per our information… there are several thorny and small plants on the plot of land,” he said.

PCMC Garden Superintendent Suresh Salunkhe, however, said, “We can’t actually call them trees, they fall in the ‘crop’ category. They are of Gliricidia variety, which are of medium size. Their leaves are converted into manure. We have given permission to fell them as the project is essential for the city,” he said.

Corporator Shyam Lande, who is a member of the committee, said he was not present at the meeting when the resolution was adopted. “I am not in favour of cutting down of such a large number of trees…,” he said, adding that he will seek written information from the PCMC and register his opposition.

Environmentalist Vikas Patil said, “We are not opposed to the development project… But we don’t like the idea of creating an environmental imbalance. The PCMC should make efforts to save the maximum number of trees. Wherever possible, they should redraw the plan to save every tree and transplant the maximum number of trees to areas which are deserted or have fewer number of trees.”

Urging for a balance between environment and development, Patil said PCMC should plant six trees for every tree felled. “The rule which applies to citizens should also apply to PCMC,” he said.

D G Baliga, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad, said the industrial town has been losing its tree cover over the years. “… Now, trees have been felled for the Pune Metro project too,” he said.

Recently, The Indian Express had reported that a total of 2,399 trees will be removed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the construction of a multi-level flyover at Chandni Chowk to ease traffic in the area.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS