Harassment by NMMC
Hi everyone,
I live in CBD Belapur. We have a coconut tree on our property that died sometime around June/July last year. A gardener told us there was a possibility that it could fall within a year.
We approached NMMC in August and September last year to request permission to fell the tree, but there was no follow-up from their end. We also got busy with life and didn't pursue it further.
We went back again in May this year, and the process finally started. They asked us to submit a few documents along with an arborist's report. We hired an arborist recommended by NMMC (they have a list of approved/partner arborists), and the report clearly states that the tree is dead and poses a threat to nearby people and property. We paid ₹1,000 for this report, which was in line with the information sheet that was shared by them in one of our visits.
Despite the tree being dead and dangerous, the Garden Department informed us that we would have to plant 25 trees and deposit ₹5,000 per tree (₹1,25,000) with NMMC for 7 years. 25, because the tree has been estimated to be around 25 years old which is more or less correct.
This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. This isn't a request to cut down a healthy tree for personal benefit. The tree is dead and has been declared a hazard by an arborist recommended by NMMC itself. Normally, you would expect the local authorities to help citizens in a situation like this. Instead, it feels like we're being punished because a tree we planted died.
Plant 25 trees? Why does NMMC exist if citizens are expected to do its job? I could understand if they asked us to plant one to three replacement trees, but twenty-five? And on top of that, I'm expected to ensure they survive for the next seven years, as if I have nothing else to do. Also, the guy in the garden department has the audacity to ask me if I have space to plant those 25 trees. I am a regular fucking person - these guys will let corporations shit all over the country with no repercussions and here they are - punishing me for following the law.
After repeatedly explaining our situation, I was finally told to submit a letter stating that we cannot afford to deposit ₹1.25 lakh. The process is still ongoing.
In the meantime, I live with anxiety every time it rains heavily, constantly worrying that the tree might fall. What exactly are we paying taxes for? For now I'll deal with the situation however I can, but if you're reading this and are thinking about planting a tree on your property in Maharashtra, think again.