Local corporator Wajid Qureshi had found out about the poisoning of trees in January and had informed a junior tree officer. (Express photo)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed a police complaint after six trees were allegedly poisoned at a metal company’s premises in Sakinaka.

On January 14, local Congress corporator Wajid Qureshi discovered about the poisoning of trees and subsequently informed the junior tree officer of L ward about the incident. Qureshi also wrote a letter to Assistant Superintendent of Garden (ASG) of L ward (Kurla) to file a police complaint against the owner of the company. Later, ASG wrote a letter to Sakinaka police station to take further action for damaging trees without permission.

Sakinaka police has registered a non-cognizable offence against the manager of the company and further investigation was on to register an FIR.

According to officials from Garden department, the junior tree officer of L Ward had sent a letter to Sakinaka police station to register an FIR under relevant sections of Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Tree Protection and Preservation Act, 1975 against the manager of Glow Metal Company Private Limited, at 90 Feet Road, near Eden School for damaging coconut trees in their premises.

Qureshi said he got to know about trees being poisoned from one of his friends who lives nearby the company. “When I reached the spot, I found many holes were made in roots of the trees. There was a strong smell of some chemical near trees and some sort of liquid was coming out of the freshly-drilled holes. They put some chemical in the holes to kill the trees. Police should soon register an FIR and arrest the culprits…,” Qureshi told The Indian Express.

On February 3, officials from garden department, Sakinaka police station and Qureshi went to the spot. “We visited the spot and found there were six to seven holes drilled in all six coconut trees of 40 to 45 feet height. The holes were at least half-foot deep and some dangerous chemicals were poured in them. An FIR will be registered soon,” said an official from garden department.