MARGAO
Margao Municipal Counci’s plan to axe around 135 trees in the Municipal areas on the directives of the district authorities has run into rough weather.
For, the government has directed the Margao Municipal Council to take necessary permission from the Forest Department before executing the work.
Director of Urban Development Gurudas Pilarnekar has accorded government’s administrative approval to the MMC to utilize Rs 10.77 lakh under the 14th Finance Commission for the work of trimming/cutting dangerous trees in the Municipal areas, but with a rider “ to take necessary permission from the Forest Department, etc before executing the work.
The cutting/trimming of 135 trees in the Margao Municipal area had triggered a row of sorts after the exercise of identifying the dangerous trees was carried out by the taluka mamlatdar from the disaster point of view post-Cyclone Tauktae.
Questions were raised in the corridors of the civic body whether it would be appropriate for the Municipality to go ahead with the trimming/cutting work without seeking prior approval from an expert agency such as the Forest Department.
Incidentally, Salcete mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar had said the opinion of the Forest Department was not obtained by the authorities while finalizing the list of dangerous trees since the trees were identified from the disaster point of view.
While granting the administrative approval to trim/cut the trees, the Director, Urban development has told the MMC Chief Officer to follow all the financial rules under GFR and as per the procedure laid down by the government from time to time and obtain necessary approvals from state agencies and other approvals from the competent authorities by e-tendering.
MMC officials may find itself in a tight spot over the matter. While the district authorities have been after the Civic officials to execute the work of trimming/cutting of the trees, the order issued by the Director of Urban Development makes it mandatory for the civic body to obtain necessary permission from the Forest department before executing the work of trimming/cutting down the trees.
