Mumbai: In a rare case, the civic-run Babasaheb Ambedkar Centenary Hospital, also known as Shatabdi Hospital, in Kandivali is constructing a public toilet in its premises. While constructing the toilet, the corporation and hospital authorities has refrained from chopping off a tree that was obstructing the construction.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was recently pulled up by the Bombay High Court for cutting trees arbitrarily and without seeking advice from tree experts. Hospital authorities claim, “We wanted to try and save the tree so we decided to just continue with the construction surrounding it. Why would anyone want to pull down a tree just for the sake of it? Everyone knows benefits of trees and wants to conserve them. Corporation is also among them,” said an official from the hospital. The tree branches are now above the ‘shauchalay’ and more than half of the construction is completed.
Tree activists were happy with the corporation for the decision of not chopping a tree. “Let us keep the question of whether the move (of constructing a public toilet in hospital premises) is legal or not on the back burner. But the civic body’s attempt to save a tree is laudable. This just goes on to show that if they decide, they can save trees,” said Zoru Bathena, a tree activist.