In a significant development, a Pune civil court has issued a directive to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), responding to a petition filed by Ameet Singh, Hema Chari, Sathya Natarajan, and The Secular Community India. The court has summoned the PMC to present its case on November 27, compelling them to justify their actions and explain why they shouldn’t be immediately restrained from issuing notices and orders for tree felling across the city.
The crux of the matter, as argued by the petitioners’ advocate, Rajendra Kumar, revolves around the legal framework governing the protection and preservation of trees. Kumar contends that the law designates the Metropolitan Commissioner, not the Municipal Commissioner, as the chairman of the Tree Authority. This critical position, however, has allegedly been unlawfully assumed by the Municipal Commissioner, rendering all notices and orders issued post-2015 illegal, particularly after the establishment of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA).
According to the petitioners, this usurpation of authority has placed the PMC Commissioner in a conflicting position, where they act both as a requisitioner for tree felling and a protector of trees. This dual role eliminates the essential checks and balances mandated by law, resulting in the breakdown of the entire tree administration system. Ameet Singh expressed concern that this situation has led to the indiscriminate felling of thousands of trees, akin to a conveyor belt, causing irreparable damage to Pune’s environment over the years.
