Lalbaug locals save tree from BMC axe

Brave residents of Lalbaug have not only saved a rain tree from the axe of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), but have also queered the pitch for a larger movement on the protection of green cover. The residents were angered when a BMC-appointed contractor came to their area on Saturday morning to cut the tree on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road. They stood on the way of the contractor and told him not to touch the tree as they had not been informed by the civic body about the felling of the tree. The tree authority of the BMC has, in fact, sanctioned cutting of the roadside tree because it is obstructing the entrance of the Meru tower at Chinchpokli. The BMC nod came after the developer sought permission to get the tree out of his way. The resident activists argued that the tree was on its place for the last many years and the tower came up just in the last few days. "Wasn't the developer aware of the obstruction while preparing and submitting the plan to the BMC," asked Rajendra Develekar, a resident. Develekar alleged that the civic body did not bother to publish a public notice or inform the residents about its decision to fell the tree. Tree authority member Niranjan Shetty said: "The municipal corporation publishes such advertisements only in a single paper and in this case they chose a newspaper which the locals rarely read. They should publish such advertisements in more than two newspapers."