AHMEDABAD: A builder who got seven trees heavily pruned in Chandkheda, because they obstructed the board at his construction site, had the civic body suspend his development permission and impose a fine of Rs 2 lakh on him. A video that went viral showed the top branches of seven trees being cut at Zanzar Sky construction site in Chandkheda on Jan 12, prompting a team from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to visit the site the next day.
Illegal tree-cutting activities are on the rise in Ahmedabad city. While the AMC is planting new trees as part of its Mission Million Trees campaign, some individuals have been found illegally cutting trees for personal gain. In Dec 2024, a complaint was filed with the AMC against the authorities of Shalin Residency Society in Thaltej Ward for illegally cutting down 28 trees, following which the garden department issued a notice to them.
In May 2024, two advertising companies cut down 536 trees overnight in the western part of the city to make their billboards visible. Upon discovering this, municipal commissioner M Thennarasan fined the two companies Rs 50 lakh each.
They were also instructed to plant 4,000 trees. Chitra (B) Publicity Co. cut down 24 trees on the central verge of two roads in the city, while Zaveri and Company Ltd. cut down 512 trees on the central verge of four roads.
Every year, over 100 complaints of illegal tree cutting are reported in Ahmedabad city. The civic body fines individuals or organisations responsible for the same and mandates replanting of trees at the site from where they were removed.
