- Honest Officer
- 11 years ago
- 4927 views
My own recent experience on unauthorized tree cutting : I am RTI…
My own recent experience on unauthorized tree cutting :
I am RTI & Housing Societies Activist, aged 67 years, and an elected Secretary of Andheri Panchvati CHS Ltd., C.D.Barfiwala Marg, Juhu Lane, Andheri (West), Mumbai - 400 058. The society is being managed by an Administrator Shri Chandrakant L.Barge, appointed by the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, K West Ward, who has not handed over charge of the society till date to the elected Managing Committee declared on 02.12.2012.
In relation to my complaints of un authorised cutting of thick, healthy and green branches of two huge appx. 40 feet tall Ashoka Trees by the Administrator in my society, I had to follow up with letters, emails, RTI applications, telephone calls, and above all, my personal visits to Tree & Garden Department of MCGM as well as local Police Station for at least 25 to 30 times.
My original complaint about unauthorized tree cutting was lodged on 28.09.2013 with Juhu Police Station and MCGM, K - West Ward. On dialing police control room no 100, local police arrived exactly within 7 minutes. Un authorised cutting of the tree was stopped and the culprit was taken to Juhu Police Station for further action. I had accompanied them as witness. The officer on duty discussed something with the culprit and asked me to leave as my presence was not required by him. When I visited the police station again after about two hours to verify the action taken, I was shocked to learn that the culprit was allowed to go without making any interrogation or making statements. I was told that no case could be made of the incidence. (All the names of concerned persons are available on request.)
Due to my continuous follow with to Juhu Police Station, Non Cognizable offence was registered only on 24.10.2013 U/s. 8 R/w 21 of Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Preservation of Trees Act, 1975 (as amended on 03.11.2006).
I was being tossed like a football from one office to another by both the departments between 28.09.2013 and 26.06.2014. At last to my good luck, officers concerned for the football game at Juhu Police Station got transferred in April / May, 2014 and more dedicated and loyal officers came in. The new Senior Inspector of Juhu Police Station Shri Abhay Shashtry, PI Shri Satpute and API Shri R.Pote of Juhu Police Station and ACP Zone - IX - Shri D.O. Jadhav were very helpful and assured me and promised me of suitable necessary action as early as possible.
They indeed worked sincerely on my complaint and as a result, at last an FIR was registered on the accused Administrator on 26.06.2014 after obtaining permission U/s. 155 (2) from the M.M.Court No.39 by Juhu Police Station.
If you do not follow up with perseverance, your complaint is likely to go to cold storage or disappear from the records. You must follow up vigorously with both MCGM and Police departments. In spite of being an activist, it has taken me about nine months, besides spending energy and money on various visits and documentations just get one lawful FIR No. 90/14 dated 26.06.2014 registered.
Although, my case has taken more than 9 months to be coverted in FIR and susequesnt arrest of the accused, no one has asked me for any money nor I have offered even a single paise to any one either at MCGM or at Juhu Police Station. What I spent was time, money in paper work and travelling etc. and offcourse the peace of mind.
The question is how many citizens can go through the rigmarole of our police department just to get a lawful FIR registered ?
It’s the corrupt who corrupts the system.