It's been just a month and a half into the new year and the BMC has already published public notices for the removal of 2,231 trees for various infrastructural projects. As compared to the official figure of last year's tree-cutting permits of 3,236—activists argue that as per public notices, the civic body gave permission for the removal of 14,518 trees in 2019—this year has already seen 70 per cent of that number.

In the budget speech for 2020-21, the municipal commissioner mentioned that over the last five years, permissions have been given for the cutting of 25,000 trees. It is mandatory to issue a public notice to hear suggestions/objections on tree removal before permissions are granted by the BMC's Tree Authority committee. Between January 1 and February 20, the BMC published 17 such notices.