Pune: PMC Approves Cutting of 120 Trees Despite Pending High Court Hearing and Environmental Concerns
Pune, 1st January 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has granted approval to cut down 120 trees along the stretch from Sakalnagar to Shivajinagar, including Ganeshkhind Road. This decision has sparked criticism from citizens and environmentalists, especially as a Bombay High Court hearing on compliance with previous orders is still pending.
On December 19, 2024, the PMC’s Tree Authority passed a resolution allowing the removal of 81 trees and the transplantation of 42 others, drawing widespread condemnation. Environmental activists argue that this decision undermines efforts to protect Pune’s dwindling green cover and goes against earlier directives issued by the High Court.
In an April 17, 2024, order, the High Court had mandated the transplantation of 71 trees along Ganeshkhind Road as part of a previous road-widening project. The court also directed the PMC to plant 5,000 compensatory trees, maintain a 95% survival rate for 10 years, and publish quarterly progress reports. This ruling followed a public outcry over the felling of 227 trees in September 2023, during which 27 trees were allegedly cut without proper authorization.
Ranjit Gadgil, Program Director at Parisar, expressed disappointment with the PMC’s decision. “Allowing the cutting of 120 trees, when the earlier compensatory plantation has not been carried out, is shocking. The High Court had previously criticized the short-sighted planning that led to the felling of trees for the elevated road on Ganeshkhind Road. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the same mistakes again,” Gadgil said. Parisar has filed a contempt petition against the PMC, alleging non-compliance with the High Court’s previous directives.
A senior PMC official from the Tree Authority defended the decision, stating that the tree cutting is necessary for the construction of Metro stations. “Out of the 120 trees, 81 will be removed, and 42 will be transplanted. The compensatory afforestation of 5,000 trees, as directed by the High Court, has been carried out. Around 82 trees were planted on Ganeshkhind Road, and the rest were planted on government land nearby. The municipal commissioner will submit an affidavit to the High Court in January,” the official said.
Addressing concerns about additional tree-cutting permissions while the previous case is still under judicial review, the official clarified, “The purpose of the current tree cutting is different—it is for the Metro project and not the earlier road-widening project. However, some of the trees involved are the same due to overlapping project areas.”
Environmentalists remain skeptical, emphasizing the lack of transparency and accountability in the PMC’s actions. The decision has reignited debates about balancing urban development with environmental conservation in Pune.
