Vivienne Chaudhury, a resident of Hiranandani Complex said, “The jogging tracks are supposed to benefit the health-conscious people of the area. Ironically, hacking of even one tree is only going to cause health problems in this already polluted locality. Jogging tracks are not like driving tracks, they can be easily constructed around the trees.”

Another resident, Ritu Ray said, “Already the green cover in Powai is so pathetic and the non-stop traffic causes high pollution. In all there must be around 70-75 trees on the Powai lake stretch. Now, in the name of beautification, these trees too will disappear. Is this beautification, really?

Observing the notices pasted on the trees recently, Sunish Subramanian, founder-secretary of PAWS, wrote to the superintendent of gardens on January 28, requesting realigning of the jogging tracks so that the trees are spared. “You may send your subordinate along with us for a site visit so that an alternative way can be planned”: the letter stated.

Subramanian said, he hadn’t received any communication from the authorities. “In fact, we have sent the authorities two more letters in the first week of February but it's all in vain,” he said, adding, “the markings have been put up so slyly that in some cases they are completely hidden behind the branches. Besides the authority also has to make a newspaper announce, which I've not seen yet.”

Meanwhile, Jayraj Phatak, head of the Tree Authority, defended their stand saying, “We have done a survey and only the trees necessary to be cut for the beautification will be hacked.” When asked if the trees would be replanted elsewhere, he said, “I don’t remember. In every meeting, we pass several proposals to cut trees and i can’t recall which tree is going to be replanted.”