Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar promises action against those responsible for cutting trees at Mahalakshmi

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Sunday promised to take action against those responsible for cutting trees at Mahalakshmi. She also said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has lodged an FIR against unknown persons regarding the incident.

"Some trees have been cut down at Mahalakshmi. The Municipal Corporation has lodged an FIR against unknown persons. It is being said that the trees might have been felled to put up hoardings. Action will be taken against accused," news agency ANI quoted Pednekar as saying.

This comes after Pravin Darekar, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, on Sunday said that 25-30 trees were cut down in Worli.

Speaking to media persons, BJP leader Darekar said, "It is a very shameful act that a day after celebrating World Environment Day, trees were cut down. Around 25-30 trees have been brought down in Worli. We condemn the act. We have come here to visit and take a note of the situation."

"This is not our personal issue. It is related to the environment. We want this issue to be looked into," said the LoP.

President of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mumbai unit Mangal Lodha had also accompanied Darekar on Sunday to Worli.

According to Lodha, the trees were cut down by a gang that puts up illegal hoardings. This incident has taken place in Borivali, Andheri, and Chowpatty areas also, he said.

"Day and night, this is being by a hoarding gang. All hoardings should be audited. If a common man plucks even a leaf, a case is registered. But this hoarding gang has been operating for the past several years in Mumbai," Lodha said.

He further demanded that the state government should file a case and set up a special committee to investigate into the matter.

(With PTI inputs)