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The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) buildings department has taken a proactive stance to combat the widespread deforestation occurring in the pursuit of construction projects. In a bid to protect the city's green cover, they have decided to withhold the issuance of completion certificates (CC) to housing projects or individual buildings if it is discovered that developers or landowners allowed the felling of trees without the necessary permissions from the civic authorities.
The CC is a crucial legal document that grants a housing project or residential building its official status. Without it, property promoters or individual landowners are unable to apply for essential utilities like water supply or drainage connections. This policy is a significant step towards promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation within the city.
To enforce this policy effectively, officials from the buildings department have been directed to visit construction sites as soon as building plans are submitted by architects. During these visits, they will meticulously compare the number of trees indicated in the building plans with the actual number of trees present on the site. This careful scrutiny is essential to ensure that trees are not needlessly removed during the construction process.
Moreover, developers seeking to cut down trees will need to obtain permissions from both the state forest department and the KMC parks department. While these permissions are sometimes necessary to accommodate construction needs, they have been misused by some unscrupulous developers who exploit them to destroy greenery indiscriminately.
To counter this abuse, the KMC parks department has pledged to work in collaboration with the buildings department to prevent the unjustified felling of trees under the guise of construction. They are committed to sending the buildings department accurate information regarding the number of trees that can be legally cut down. This cooperative effort will extend to monitoring construction sites to ensure that the sanctioned number of trees is not exceeded.
In cases where deviations from the approved tree removal count are discovered, strict actions will be taken. The KMC parks department will file First Information Reports (FIRs) with the police, and they will request the buildings department to withhold the issuance of the CC. Without the CC, developers are unable to proceed with the sale of flats, which serves as a powerful deterrent against unauthorized tree cutting.
The mayor's office has also played an active role in reinforcing the need for vigilance in light of recent incidents of unauthorized tree felling, such as the unfortunate event at Rowland Row. In response, the KMC parks department has lodged an FIR with the Ballygunge police station against those responsible for the illegal destruction of trees.
In conclusion, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's decision to link the issuance of completion certificates with responsible tree management is a commendable step towards balancing urban development with environmental preservation. This proactive approach not only safeguards the city's green spaces but also encourages sustainable construction practices. It sends a clear message that environmental conservation is a top priority in the city's development agenda.
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