Despite registering three FIRs and two non-cognizable offence cases, the Pantnagar police station is yet to make any headway in the investigation into the killing of 60 trees along the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). The trees, planted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, were allegedly poisoned to provide an unobstructed view for hoardings erected by an advertising agency.
The first FIR was filed on July 13, 2023, accusing Ego Media of cutting down 11 trees. However, the media agency denied involvement, and inquiries with locals and passers-by have not yielded any leads. The second FIR, filed on July 25, accused Devangi Outdoor, an advertising agency, of killing trees by drilling holes into them. One person was arrested in this case but released after paying a fine.
The latest FIR was registered on April 16 by civic officials at the Pant Nagar police station. Police have examined CCTV footage but have not found anything suspicious. They are still investigating the matter but have not made any arrests.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has written to the municipal commissioner demanding a thorough investigation. He suspects the hoardings near Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar to be illegal and has alleged that the police are not investigating the matter thoroughly, taking action only after media reports emerged.
Civic officials are also concerned about the environmental impact of the tree killings. They are planning to create a database to check for similar incidents in other areas of the city. The incident highlights the need for stringent measures to protect green spaces and prevent such acts of vandalism in the future.
