Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Bhojpur Club in Arera Colony E-1 has come under scanner after seven trees being allegedly cut and heavily pruned on its premises in violation of the high court’s ongoing ban on tree felling.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner and city tree officer has issued a notice to the club, directing it to submit a detailed explanation by Monday.
Officials said the club had reportedly claimed that the cutting was done to “clear bushes,” but the extent of the damage suggested otherwise. The incident occurred last Friday, when a fully grown tree was found felled near the club.
This came just days after the high court expressed strong concern over rampant tree felling in the city and ordered an immediate halt to all felling and pruning activities. In response, BMC commissioner and city tree officer Sanskriti Jain had instructed her teams to take strict action against any violation.
Despite these directives, the Bhojpur Club case surfaced the very next day. BMC officials from the garden section were sent to conduct a panchnama of the damaged trees, following which a formal notice was issued to the club.
PWD switches to smaller machines to protect green cover
The Public Works Department (PWD) has made operational changes to ensure tree protection during the white-topping of roads in Arera Colony. Work in the area has been going on for the past three months, but the ban on tree cutting halted progress in locations where large machines could harm trees.
To comply with the court’s orders and avoid damage, the PWD has now switched to smaller, more compact machines for completing the remaining stretches. PWD officials clarified that no trees had been cut during their road-construction activities in Bhopal since the high court’s order.
‘Admin acted promptly’
BMC commissioner Sanskriti Jain reiterated that the administration acted promptly upon receiving information about the tree felling. “We have issued a notice to the Bhojpur Club. They must respond by Monday. Further action will be taken strictly as per rules,” she said.
