Two more illegal tree felling plaints, no action from police

Nagpur: After their inaction for the last six months over two complaints from Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) against private company AG Enviro Infra Projects Private Ltd, Sonegaon police are sitting pretty on two more complaints of illegal tree felling for the last one-two months.
TOI on Saturday had reported about Sonegaon police having asked NMC garden department to submit copy of agreement executed between the civic body and AG Enviro as part of investigation into complaint of chopping over 100 trees at two patches of proposed London Street Project by the garbage operator.

Later, DCP Anurag Jain had urged the civic chief to conduct an inquiry and submit written complaint again with evidences even as NMC had already provided copies of Google Earth Images.
Volunteers of NGO Wildlife Welfare Society had spotted some persons cutting trees on Sonegaon road and a four-wheeler loaded with trunks of many trees. They took pictures and submitted a complaint with Sonegaon police on February 22. Complaint was also lodged with civic chief and garden superintendent demanding an action.
In the complaint, NGO president Pankaj Badule stated that loads of wood was taken away in two vehicles — MH-49-AT-5825 and MH-49-AT-7580. Still, Sonegaon police did not take any action.
The trees that were cut were on a vacant land over which two private housing societies are locked in a dispute.
Former member of tree authority Sachin Khobragade had claimed to have seen 14 trees being chopped in a green area adjacent to Sahakar Nagar crematorium. He had lodged complaint with Sonegaon police on March 4. With the help of pictures, he informed the police trunk of around 4 feet left in the name of 14 trees.
Khobragade said, “There is a nexus between officials of garden department and persons who cut the trees. These two cases are of serious nature and attract action for theft, destruction to environment, illegal business, harbouring offender, public servants engaged in illegal trade, giving false information etc. Still, police have done nothing,” he said.
An official from Sonegaon police station said action cannot be taken on the basis of complaints lodged by NGO or private persons. “We have asked NMC to lodge complaints in these two cases which are awaited,” he said.
The police is supposed to register an offence under section 21 (1) of Maharashtra (urban areas) Preservation of Trees Act- 1975 on persons cutting down trees without permission from tree authority. There is no condition that the complaint has to be lodged only by NMC.
In fact, the police can initiate suo motu action. Section 20 (A) reads, “Tree Officer or any other officer of the urban local authority authorised by such authority in this behalf or any police officer may take such steps and use such force as may be reasonably necessary to prevent the felling or destruction of any tree or for the protection of any tree.”