Residents of some housing societies in the city are fuming over notices sent by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demanding charges for trimming and transplanting trees in their compounds, which fell during Cyclone Tauktae. One such society in Mulund, Anil Apartment, received a notice asking them to pay Rs 14,067 for trimming the branches of a banyan tree, which got uprooted during the cyclone and fell on the adjacent chawl area. The notice even mentions transplanting the tree in the same spot. The issue escalated when residents of the chawl objected to transplantation of the tree, as they feared a similar mishap would happen again.

Opposing charges

Housing societies in the city have been opposing the charges levied by the BMC for trimming trees before monsoon. The issue once again surfaced after the cyclone uprooted 812 trees and broke branches of 1,454 trees. Out of these, 308 uprooted trees were in public areas and the rest were in private spaces.