Act against Andheri society over tree fall death: BMC to police

MUMBAI: Days after a 50-year-old man lost his life due to a tree fall in Andheri (West), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has written to the police to take appropriate action against a housing society for allegedly failing to trim the gulmohar tree.

However, Nilesh Shah, chairman of Jeevan Sudha Society said, “The society had trimmed the tree when we received permission from the BMC.”

According to the rules, citizens need BMC’S approval to trim trees on the private premises. They have to pay to the BMC in trimming and transportation costs. Permission is given to the society after inspection by a junior officer.

This was the fourth tree fall in the past three months. Yash Desai, a charted accountant, was killed after a branch of the tree fell on him outside Jeevan Sudha Society on Saturday.

In the letter (a copy of which is with HT), the BMC has highlighted society’s alleged negligence and said it gave the permission to cut the tree in February. After an inspection, a junior tree officer had asked the society to trim branches, states the letter. “If the society had trimmed the branches in time, the unfortunate incident could have been avoided... Appropriate action should be taken (against the society),” reads the letter.

The BMC had refused to take responsibility for the tragedy though. Officials said since the society failed to trim the tree, it was responsible for the incident.

Meanwhile, corporators in civic standing committee demanded that the administration pay for the trimming of trees in private premises.