'Carelessness Of Contractors Killing Trees In Navi Mumbai', Says Activists

The pavement concretisation work going on within various nodes of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is proving to be the death knell for 30 odd palm trees. Contractors assigned with the relaying of the pavements are observed to be hacking into the roots of the tree instead of preserving it, as per environmental activists.

Activists have also seen contractors leaving no space for the trees. “The pavement revamp work done by the NMMC in various nodes is not adhering to any environmental guidelines. Contractors are concretising the entire pavements leaving no space for the roots of the trees,” said activist Sunil Agarwal. Multiple complaints have already been raised with the municipal commissioner highlighting the violation.

“In the name of concretisation, workers are digging out the bricks that support the trees and there are instances of workers even hacking into the exposed roots which is for sure going to kill the greenery,” said Kanchan Purohit, a resident, who has regularly raised the matter with the corporation. The resident had recently sought action from the NMMC on May 2.

Contractors’ carelessness while relaying the pavements became even more obvious with the damage caused to the pipelines supplying sewage-treated water. “There is no order being followed in the way the concretisation work is being done. In sector 27 of Nerul, the mandatory circumference to left open around the trees is no longer to be found and likewise at sector 58 (A) Seawoods, the pipe is damaged leading to wastage of recycled water,” pointed out another resident. An official from the NMMC said that they would inspect the area and look into the matter.