An independent committee investigating the June 30 Chembur tree collapse that claimed the life of 11-year-old Vihaan Srivastava is preparing four reports for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), including a proposed urban forest management policy aimed at preventing similar incidents.
Vihaan died after a peepal tree fell on his school bus in Chembur. The tragedy occurred amid an increase in tree-fall incidents during the monsoon, prompting renewed scrutiny of Mumbai’s tree management and conservation practices.
Of the four reports being prepared by the committee, the first is a fact-finding document, while the remaining three focus on policies for protecting and managing the city’s green cover. Two reports have already been submitted, while the other two are expected to be presented to civic chief Ashwini Bhide by October 10, according to officials familiar with the developments.
The draft urban forest management policy proposes a coordinated framework for various civic departments involved in managing trees and surrounding areas across Mumbai. Another set of recommendations focuses on post-calamity management and measures to improve the civic response following disasters.
“In order to ensure that such disasters don’t happen in the future, the report recommends organised efforts across departments and suggests policy recommendations for urban forest, tree conservation, amongst other aspects,” a source said.
“The reports submitted so far lay down a detailed urban forest management policy, which can serve as a charter for several civic departments that work on and around the tree zones of the city. The policy will outline detailed analysis and norms, while policy guidelines for post-calamity management will also be included,” the source added.
Officials said the committee’s findings indicate that the tree collapse resulted from several contributing factors, including both natural and human-related causes.
The one-member panel, headed by noted botanist and former Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Dr Sanjay V Deshmukh, was constituted in July after Mayor Ritu Tawde rejected an earlier inquiry, citing shortcomings in its assessment and recommendations.
The initial report had held excavation work responsible for weakening the tree’s roots and imposed a ₹7 lakh penalty on the contractor and consultant involved in nearby road work. The fresh committee also reviewed the earlier inquiry process and interviewed officials associated with its preparation.
Source: The Indian Express
