KMC flooded with requests to cut trees

KOLKATA: Coconut trees situated on the premises of a particular residence risking the property of its next-door neighbour has become a nightmare for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

The Parks and Gardens wing of the civic body has been flooded with requests, particularly from the Behala area in South Kolkata for cutting down coconut trees, apprehending that a tree situated on the premises of a residence may get uprooted and cause damage to the neighbouring house.

The Parks and Gardens wing is sitting upon at least 100 requests for cutting down coconut trees from the Behala area alone. However, the owner in most of the cases has not allowed the civic body to cut down the tree. There is no need for any permission of cutting down coconut trees as per the Non-Forest Area Act 2006 because this variety is devoid of any significant environmental value. However, the usual practice is that KMC seeks a NOC from the owner before cutting down.

In the backdrop of such a problem, a senior official of the Parks & Gardens department of KMC has instructed his concerned official to serve a letter to the owner that the latter will be held responsible if the tree gets uprooted and causes damage to the neighbouring house.

A copy of the same letter will also be handed over to the local police station OC (Officer In Charge). "It has been found that on receipt of such a letter, the owner usually allows us to cut down the problematic tree. In case, the problem persists, the aggrieved person can take the legal path and then we act as per the judiciary's direction," a senior official of the Parks and Gardens wing of KMC said.