BMC Tree Authority Faces Scrutiny Over Expert Vacancies As Projects Affect More Than 7,633 Trees

Mumbai: The BMC is struggling to appoint expert members to its Tree Authority. After four years of administrative rule, the Tree Authority members (corporators) were appointed earlier this year post-BMC elections; however, the appointment of expert individual panel members was pending. Accordingly, an expression of interest (EOI) was floated to appoint 'nominated members', for which the deadline was October 19. However, the EOI has now been extended to November 11.

Political Disagreement Over Deadline Extension

The BMC administration said that it had received responses, but the extension was given as per the Tree Authority members' request. However, Shiv Sena UBT corporator Pramod Sawant, a Tree Authority member, said, "The extension was given after a request from the BJP group leader. If indeed the administration had received interest in appointing expert members, then why did they not produce it in the last Tree Authority meeting?" he questioned.

However, BJP group leader Ganesh Khankar said the administration had received expressions of interest, but an extension was asked for as some time was required for scrutiny and technical doubts.

Tree Authority Composition And Eligibility Criteria

The Mumbai Tree Authority is headed by the BMC commissioner and has 13 members who are elected corporators from each party, while five are private members who are tree experts. The Tree Authority is the final body to sanction any tree cutting, removal or transplantation proposals for any project across Mumbai, private or public. Thus, it holds significant importance in green cover preservation.

As per BMC's EOI, the eligibility criteria for nominated members are Agriculture/Botany/Environmental Science/Horticulture/Arboriculture/Forestry diploma holders, graduates or equivalent. Preference will be given to postgraduates OR experts from non-official organisations (active members of NGOs enlisted with the Social Forestry Department of the State Government), including retired government officials, with experience in tree planting, preservation and conservation of trees, and at least 10 years' experience in tree plantation, preservation and protection of trees, etc.

Former Member Raises Political Influence Concerns

Historically, individual experts have struggled to continue their membership within the Tree Authority among the politicians. Dr Nilesh Baxi, a medical practitioner and tree conservator who was a member of the Tree Authority from 2007 to 2012, said, "Former members have called it quits after losing interest in decision-making processes within the Authority." He also stressed that the selection of any expert member in the Authority is not possible without political backing. Thus, politicians want nominated members of their preferences and references.

Dr Baxi also said that proposals for tree transplantation are hardly studied, which is proven by the poor survival rate. He added that several times, the individual members are not taken on ground visits, and politicians are more interested in passing the projects than conserving trees, which leads to individual members getting disinterested.

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Thousands Of Trees Affected By Projects

Reportedly, the BMC Tree Authority has approved proposals affecting more than 7,633 trees in the last five months for several infrastructure projects, which includes 3,500 for permanent felling and the remaining for transplantation.

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