More than 100 fully grown trees have reportedly been chopped down on Parsik Hills near CIDCO headquarters, raising serious environmental concerns among activists. Environmentalists have strongly condemned the act, warning of potential landslides along the Sion-Panvel Highway during the monsoon.
Referring to a recent Supreme Court observation that cutting trees is worse than killing human beings, the NatConnect Foundation has called for exemplary punishment for those responsible. The Supreme Court has imposed a ₹1 lakh fine per illegally felled tree, and NatConnect Director B.N. Kumar has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take similar stringent action in this case.
Frustrated by CIDCO’s continued apathy towards environmental conservation, NatConnect has announced plans to consult legal experts and approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for intervention.
“This reckless deforestation will undoubtedly lead to landslides during the rains, putting both people and property at risk,” the environment-focused NGO stated.
Kapil Kulkarni of the Save Belapur Hills Forum highlighted that indiscriminate tree-cutting has become a routine occurrence, with authorities turning a blind eye. He pointed out that similar tree uprooting on Belapur Hill has already led to landslides twice in recent times, yet CIDCO remains inactive.
“It is high time CIDCO realizes that climate change is not a science fiction story but a harsh reality,” Kulkarni added.
Criticizing the double standards in urban planning, Kumar remarked, “On one hand, the government urges citizens to plant and protect trees, while on the other, city planners fail to safeguard existing greenery.”
“It takes at least 10 to 12 years for a tree to grow, yet they are destroyed within hours,” he lamented.
Activist Jyoti Nadkarni from Kharghar Hills and Wetlands echoed similar concerns, stating that CIDCO’s disregard for environmental protection is evident from its past destruction of mangroves and wetlands.
NatConnect also reminded that the Forest Department had earlier confirmed to the Human Rights Commission that the Parsik Hills fall under CIDCO’s jurisdiction in a separate case of tree destruction.
Kumar further emphasized that Navi Mumbai has been suffering from poor air quality for months, forcing residents to inhale toxic air. At a time when the city urgently needs dense tree cover, urban planning continues to ignore the importance of greenery, he added.
