Mazi Vasundhara Abhiyan 4.0 : PCMC Wins Green Award Despite Cutting Down Over 3000 Trees in 1 Year
Mazi Vasundhara Abhiyan 4.0 : The PCMC has earned top honors in the ‘Mazi Vasundhara Abhiyan 4.0’ for its impressive achievement of planting over 1 lakh trees in a year. However, this recognition comes despite the alarming decision to approve the cutting of over 3,000 trees during the same period.
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PCMC received accolades for its successful tree plantation campaigns like “My Family for My Green City” and “Ek Ped Maan Ke Naam,” which saw significant public participation in greening efforts. Yet, the corporation’s decision to allow the removal of thousands of trees raises serious concerns about its environmental commitment.
The city’s air quality is rapidly declining, and pollution levels are climbing at an alarming rate. While the municipal corporation claims to plant over 1 lakh trees annually, it simultaneously grants permission to fell more than 3,000 trees each year. Furthermore, unauthorized tree cutting has been reported, further exacerbating the city’s deforestation issue.
PCMC’s horticulture department oversees tree plantation drives, but the number of trees being cut down remains disturbingly high. Many newly planted saplings are dying due to inadequate care, and large-scale tree cutting is being carried out under the guise of development projects.
Development activities such as road widening, digging for footpaths, underground utilities, and construction projects are among the main reasons for the widespread tree cutting. Additionally, trees are being felled because their branches interfere with advertisement boards or obstruct commercial establishments. The ongoing metro construction work along the Pimpri to Nigdi route has also resulted in the removal of trees. Unauthorized tree cutting, especially near construction sites, has become a growing problem.
The horticulture department’s lax approach is contributing to this crisis. It charges just Rs 10,000 to cut down a tree on private property, making it financially viable for developers to clear land without consequence. This has led to uncontrolled deforestation across the city.
Many environmentalists are now questioning whether the municipal corporation’s horticulture department should be rebranded as a “tree-cutting department.” There is growing concern that the department’s actions, under the pretext of supporting development, are significantly harming the city’s green cover.
The situation is further compounded by reports that builders are cutting down more trees than they’ve been granted permission to remove. Despite the illegal activities, both the horticulture department and municipal authorities appear to be turning a blind eye. In one recent incident, a contractor illegally felled trees near Nashik Phata. Though a case was filed against him, the contractor is now seeking to have the case dismissed in the High Court, claiming that the responsibility for the illegal cutting lies with the contractors, not him.
As the environmental situation in Pimpri-Chinchwad worsens, many are questioning the city’s priorities and whether its “green” initiatives are genuinely beneficial or just a facade.
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