Fresh tree survey likely soon in Mumbai

After a spate of tree falling incidents in the city, the civic body is planning to carry out yet another tree survey.

Members of the BMC standing committee have demanded a fresh audit of around 19.17 lakh trees in the city. 

After the death of a woman and her six-month-old daughter in a tree falling incident in Nariman Point last month, the BMC had started a drive to inspect all vulnerable trees in the city. The tree expert committee had found 226 vulnerable trees in the city.

After the deaths, corporators alleged that the panelists carried out superficial survey and did not check every tree in the city. “The survey had no mention of the coconut tree that crushed another man at Andheri.

That explains the credibility of the survey. We need a detailed report on trees in the city,” said Ashish Shelar, BJP leader in the House.

According to the latest tree census, out of the 19 lakh trees, 3.77 lakh are on government land.

Around 629 trees are on private land, 72,570 trees on industrial land and 50,332 in gardens.

Moreover, 1.58 lakh trees stand on roads and remaining 2.13 lakh on other areas. However, the tree expert committee surveyed trees, which were on the roads and skipped the remaining.

“What is the point of forming a new committee unless proper ground work is done? There has to be a fresh round of survey whose report must be presented in the standing committee.

This report will be analysed by us and suitable steps will be taken. Also there should be a revised tree policy,” said Sunil Prabhu, leader of the house.