Mumbai: Telecom operators and local cable providers’ rampant illegal practice of wrapping and tying cables around roadside trees instead of installing utility poles came up in BMC’s Tree Authority meeting on Tuesday.
BJP corporator Siddharth Sharma, who raised the issue through a point of order, sought a policy to curb the illegal use of trees to hold and support cables by internet, optical fibre cable (OFC), broadband and cable TV companies, and the installation of utility poles. The BMC commissioner has assured that a policy will be formulated regarding the same, he added.
“Digital connectivity is necessary, however, digital development cannot take place at the cost of the trees in the city,” Sharma said. “Cables are tightly wrapped around tree trunks and even tied to branches. Besides, wires are hung on branches. Cables are also being nailed, screwed, or clamped onto trees on a large scale. This is likely to cause damage to the tree bark and weaken its branches, besides obstructing its natural growth and pruning work.”
Sharma said the misuse of trees by telecom and cable firms counters BMC’s efforts to protect and conserve trees in the city through its Vruksha Sanjeevani Abhiyan.
He demanded that a “tree-and-cable audit” be conducted across Mumbai to identify internet/OFC/cable wires on trees, details of the telecom/cable operator concerned, verification of the required BMC permissions, and identification of cables causing harm to trees. The corporator further said that a time-bound action plan should be prepared through coordination among the agencies concerned for the removal or relocation of cables.
Activist Rohit Joshi said: “The observation regarding cables around trees is right; the Tree Act does not allow cables around trees. Nowadays, green nets used at construction sites are tied to roadside trees; these put pressure on the trees. Besides, the Tree Act also mentions that if you harm a tree in any manner, it is considered to be culling a tree. Even if you cover a tree and deprive it of sunlight, it is considered culling a tree. Even while granting pruning permission, it is specifically mentioned in the conditions that you cannot make the tree leafless.”
