Punekar News: Pune: Wednesday, June 11, 2025.
10th June 2025: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged a massive environmental and nancial scandal within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Tree Authority, citing documentary evidence and RTI records that point to irregularities worth over ₹125 crore and a ₹200 crore loss to the public exchequer. 
The party also estimates ecological damage worth ₹2,000 crore due to what it claims is systemic manipulation and neglect of environmental regulations. Advocate Krunnal Gharre, speaking on behalf of AAP, presented records obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, revealing that between April 2022 and December 2023, a total of 22,362 trees were either cut or transplanted across Pune.
However, the mandatory compensatory plantation of 3,40,599 trees—a key requirement under environmental protection norms—has no documented record, raising serious concerns over compliance and transparency. Financial and Procedural Irregularities According to the documents, PMC ofcials allegedly waived ₹13.4 crore in security deposits for various departments without explanation.
Moreover, revenue from timber sales related to the felled trees is reportedly unaccounted for. In a particularly questionable nding, only 45 trees out of more than 22,000 were classied as “Heritage Trees”—dened as trees over 50 years old. AAP leaders claim this points to deliberate manipulation of tree age records, effectively undermining heritage tree protection law
“The ofcial numbers imply that Pune had virtually no trees before 1980, which is absurd. This appears to be a planned scam to bypass heritage tree protections and environmental laws,” said Adv. Gharre. Political-Contractor Nexus? AAP city president Sudarshan Jagdale alleged that the irregularities reect a larger malaise of political apathy and a deep-rooted contractor-politician nexus, which he claims prioritizes nancial gain over environmental conservation. “This isn’t just about negligence—it’s about visionless governance that’s damaging the ecological future of Pune,” Jagdale stated. Activist Mukund Kirdat pointed out that the trend of large-scale tree felling without compensatory planting is not limited to Pune but is seen in other parts of Maharashtra as well.
Legal Action and Public Call Adv. Gharre vowed to pursue legal action to ensure accountability and environmental justice. “I will use every legal avenue to enforce laws for the public good. Citizens must rise to demand transparency and sustainable development,” he said. AAP has demanded an immediate investigation, action against responsible ofcials, and strict enforcement of compensatory plantation rules. Other AAP members present at the press conference included Amit Mhaske, Aarti Karanjawane, Subhash Karande, Shantanu Pande, Nikhil Khandare, Ajinkya Jagdale, and Satyan Nashikka
.JPG)
.JPG)
