Nagpur: The Tree Authority at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday refused to give an unconditional go-ahead for tree felling for the Indira Gandhi Govt Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) expansion projects after committee members stated that the hospital had not obtained the mandatory Environmental Clearance (EC).
Both sets of objections were heard on Oct 1. The committee also discussed a proposal concerning the Govt Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where officials claimed that 374 compensatory trees had already been planted at Gorewada against the felling of eight trees, including two heritage trees.
Itankar withdrew his initial decision following the objection and said permission for tree felling would be conditional on IGGMCH first obtaining the EC certificate. Officials initially said there was no space available for plantation, following which Itankar identified possible locations within the premises. In the first proposal, involving four trees, including two heritage trees — a peepal and a neem — Itankar initially proposed transplantation of two heritage trees while permitting felling of two non-heritage trees. Committee member Kaustav Chatterjee pointed out that the hospital did not possess EC, which was also prominently mentioned in the agenda of the meeting. The same condition was applied to the hospital’s second proposal concerning construction of an auditorium, which involves felling of a heritage bakul tree. The first IGGMCH proposal attracted six objections, while two objections were received against the auditorium proposal. The committee’s stand means that no tree can be felled until the hospital obtains EC. Itankar directed GMCH officials to undertake compensatory plantation within the hospital premises itself.