Pimpri Chinchwad, 26th August 2026: Fifty-two old trees, many over a century old, have been cut down to make way for a private housing project under construction right next to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation headquarters, triggering strong protests from environmentalists.
Of the 52 trees, 33 were uprooted and discarded and have completely died. The civic garden department recovered only Rs 10.70 lakh from the developer as compensatory fine at the rate of Rs 15,000 per tree.
AAP Youth wing vice-president Rishikesh Kanavte has condemned the felling and questioned the role of the environment and garden departments. He asked whether destroying the cityтАЩs green cover for commercial gain could be justified merely by collecting a penalty.
Although the administration claims 19 trees will be replanted, tree activists have expressed serious doubts whether the saplings will survive and grow.
Kanavte said the large-scale cutting of mature, environmentally vital trees solely for a private builderтАЩs benefit has raised serious questions about the civic bodyтАЩs responsibility.
