Nagpur: Barely 15% of trees in Nagpur have been freed from concrete encasements, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Wednesday, highlighting slow progress in a citywide effort to restore green cover. In a status report submitted during a joint hearing, NMC said that of 3,691 trees found surrounded by cement and concrete, only 567 have so far been cleared, leaving the vast majority still constricted. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode while dealing with two public interest litigations concerning removal of concrete around trees and curbing indiscriminate felling under the guise of development works. Radhika Bajaj assisted the court as amicus curiae, while advocate NS Rao represented the state govt and advocate Gemini Kasat appeared for the municipal corporation. The court took suo motu cognisance of rampant tree cutting in 2018, while a separate petition filed by environmentalist Sharad Patil and others sought complete removal of concrete from around all trees in the city. According to the affidavit filed by the NMC’s garden department, the identified 3,691 trees fall under multiple authorities. Of these, 3,360 trees are within the municipal limits, and the civic body estimates it will take 45 to 50 days to remove the concrete around them. For trees under other agencies, NMC has initiated correspondence, urging them to undertake similar action. The data presented in court shows a fragmented responsibility structure, with several authorities overseeing different sets of trees. The court is monitoring compliance with its earlier directions aimed at ensuring that trees are not suffocated by urban construction practices and that ecological concerns are addressed alongside infrastructure growth. During earlier proceedings, the court appointed a committee of three lawyers to inspect cement roads and examine trees surrounded by concrete structures across the city. The committee’s findings revealed that as many as 528 trees in the city were encased in cement or concrete, a condition described as a serious violation of urban green regulations. The report prompted the court to question civic authorities about the steps taken to restore the affected trees and remove the concrete barriers preventing natural growth.
