Tree Authority directs to plant trees five times, and geo-tag
PANAJI
A whopping number of 1,149 trees would be cut to facilitate construction of the MIT-Peace University campus at Tivim. The State Tree Authority (STA) has granted its nod for felling of the trees while directing planting five times the indigenous forest tree species.
The MIT Group of Institution has also approached the Directorate of Mines and Geology to remove the old mineral dump located within the said comunidade land which has about 614 standing trees, mostly Acacia species.
During its meeting held last month, the STA has asked the project proponent to ensure phase-wise felling of trees and during the process no wildlife is harmed or injured in any way, including their nests.
The Registrar of Maharashtra Academy of Engineering and Educational Research (MAEER), MIT Group of Institution, Pune had moved a proposal before the Authority seeking permission to fell 1,449 trees for construction of the private university campus. The project proponent said that they intend to utilise an area of around 20,000 sq mtrs for setting up of the University, with residential facilities and other academic institutional amenities.
MAEER mentioned that the area has been leased out to them by the concerned comunidade and accordingly they shall be taking up the establishment of the university.
Justifying the high number of trees proposed for felling, the project proponent mentioned that they shall take up construction in a phased manner and they are seeking to take permission for tree felling in one go.
“After thorough discussion, the Authority decided to recommend felling of 1,149 trees,” states the minutes of the meeting. The STA has said that the trees on the iron ore dump would be removed only after obtaining all necessary clearances from the concerned authorities like the Mines department.
“The project proponent shall ensure planting of indigenous forest tree species five times in lieu of trees of species other than Acacia to be felled. For the trees of Acacia species to be felled, they shall plant three times of those trees. A detailed plan of plantation shall be submitted along with the tree felling proposal before submitting the same for the final approval of the government,” the STA said.
The STA has asked the project proponent to geo-tag the locations of the trees planted for the purpose of monitoring by the Forest department. They have to also undertake maintenance of the seedling planted for a period of five years.
