Mumbai: Wadala residents flag bird habitat loss as 48 trees axed

The land cleared after felling the trees. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Objecting to the felling of 48 trees in their neighbourhood for a construction project, residents of Wadala in South Mumbai have urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to halt all tree-cutting activity at the construction site and conduct an on-site inspection of the premises.

The residents of Island City Centre (ICC) One and Two cooperative housing societies wrote to the BMC on Tuesday. The letter states that the trees being cut within the compound serve as a natural habitat and seasonal sanctuary for 2000 to 5000 migratory cranes every year. While the civic body's garden department granted the developer permission to cut the trees in April this year, residents have raised concerns over whether the permissions were issued following a comprehensive assessment of the potential habitat loss.

Hira Bhatia, a resident of Island City Centre, said, "They have begun indiscriminately cutting fully grown trees. Of the few trees that now remain, very few are actually home to these beautiful migratory birds that visit us each year. We are requesting that at least those trees be spared, and on compassionate grounds, the habitat of these birds should be preserved."

A senior civic official told mid-day on Wednesday, "The BMC has received and noted the complaints from residents. A site visit was conducted by the tree officer of the F/South ward, and it was confirmed that all trees are being cut as per the permission granted in April by the Tree Authority."

"Every permission is issued following a site visit. Another visit was conducted after these complaints to check if the wrong trees were being cut. A complete list of the age, girth, and species of the trees will be made available in two days, as all details are maintained by the Tree Authority."

Residents have also complained that, contrary to the Tree Authority's directive to plant 1937 additional trees within the same property within 15 days to compensate for the loss of 48 trees, no steps have been taken to plant the replacements. The official quoted above clarified that developers are often granted time extensions to remove construction materials such as cement from the premises before planting new trees, to ensure
their survival.

Avinash Bhagat, a Mumbai-based birder, pointed out that the birds in question are egrets, which are resident species. "The photographs depict a very troubling scenario. A single tree can support several species, and when we talk about many trees, we're essentially witnessing the destruction of an entire habitat. This issue must be addressed with measures to rehabilitate the birds as well," said Bhagat.