MUMBAI, April 28: The Mumbai University's Fort campus lined with lush-green trees, where even plucking of flowers and buds is "strictly prohibited," was today reduced to a sorry sight when the branches of 15 trees were hacked to facilitate the state government's forthcoming Light and Sound Show.Employees of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were busy at work today morning "pruning and trimming" trees in and around the university campus to prepare the venue for the show beginning May 1. Some of the trees whose branches were chopped today have stood here for more than 50 years.
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), which will hold the Light and Sound show on behalf on the state government, had earlier sought permission to prune 22 trees from the Tree Authority of Greater Mumbai. MTDC had on April 3 sent a letter to the municipal commissioner seeking approval for the cutting.
On April 22, the commissioner forwarded this letter to the Tree Authority, which, on April 27, gave ahasty approval at its monthly meeting. "There was no discussion on the subject at the meeting," said Nandu Naik, a member of Tree Authority, who wasn't even allowed to voice his objections regarding the matter.
Terming today's act shameful, one of the university senate members, Amarjit Singh Manhas, said: "It's surprising how the vice-chancellor could give permission within a day to cut the trees. I, along with some other senators, will submit a memorandum of protest in this regard to the chancellor Dr P C Alexander."
The site was inspected on April 21 by assistant superintendent of gardens (city) and horticultural assistant (Tree Authority) and they marked six trees lining the footpath outside the university, 15 trees inside the University campus, and two trees in the High Court premises for pruning.The show, to be held every weekend starting May 1, would highlight the history of Mumbai with reference to its role in the Indian freedom struggle.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University Dr SnehalataDeshmukh could not be contacted for comment as she had left for New Delhi and would only be back on Wednesday night, a family member said.
BOUNCERS
Why did the cream of intelligentsia, the University of Mumbai officials, readily allow tree-cutting even though they strictly forbid the plucking of flowers and buds in the Fort campus? Has the Tree Authority never heard of the slogan "Keep Mumbai Clean & Green"? Or are government orders to be blindly followed?Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
