Maharashtra passes bill empowering local bodies to allow felling of trees

MUMBAI, Maharashtra: A bill was passed by the Maharashtra legislative assembly that gives local tree authorities the power to permit the cutting down of any kind of trees without having to consult with the State Tree Authority.

Under the existing law, applications for cutting down more than 200 trees that are five years or older and heritage trees are referred by the local (municipal) tree authority to the Maharashtra State Tree Authority.

The Bill, initiated by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde, is said to be aimed at ensuring ease of doing business. However, the backdrop of a bitter spat between the two political parties-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena UBT (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) over the felling of trees at Aarey and other places in Mumbai was exposed as the members from these two parties debated the bill.

During the debate on the bill, ruling BJP MLAs Ashish Shelar, Atul Bhatkhalkar and Ameet Satam slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and former environment minister Aaditya Thackeray for enacting the previous amendment to the Act and forming the State Tree Authority.

Shelar accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena of opposing almost every big project in Mumbai including the Metro, coastal road and Bullet train. “It will not be an exaggeration to expect the party to ask people to travel in bullock carts in Mumbai,” he remarked.