Residents of Runwal Surabhi society protest aginst chopping of roots.

Pune: Residents of Runwal Surabhi housing society in Baner have written a letter to Pune Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar and Police Commissioner Rashmi Sukhla to stop a builder from damaging the roots of a 100-year-old peepal tree by the builder who is constructing a residential complex opposite this society.

Last week, Anuprita Kalgutkar, resident of the society, raised concern about the same along with other residents of the society as they feel this could permanently damage the tree. 
Kalgutkar said, “The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) reverted to our online complaint last week saying: It has been resolved and the case has been closed. But still the roots of the tree are being cut and no action has been taken against it by the authorities." 

She added, "We wrote to Kumar and Shukla on March 6 to stop the brutal act  and save the tree. But there's no response from them yet and the work on the site continues.”

Kalgutkar also spoke to Shilpa Bhosale, member of the Tree Authority Committee and Dayanand Ghatge, Tree Officer and Member Secretary of the Tree Authority, PMC. According to her, they said it is private land and the builder can do anything on his land. Also the engineer of the site said the tree was not part of their construction plan, hinting at a possible removal of the tree.