Despite NMC's own report warning of decreasing green cover, its Tree Authority has recently approved felling of 790 big trees mostly located in West Nagpur. Garden superintendent N B Shrikhande told TOI the Tree Authority on December 9 also okayed transplantation of 18 trees.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been permitted to cut down 399 trees along between mental hospital square and Koradi. National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT) has been given nod to cut 287 trees in its campus. Sales Tax office will cut 51 trees including 39 teak trees while NMC will bring down 45 trees to construct Suresh Bhat auditorium adjacent to Reshimbagh ground. NADT and sales tax office have planted five trees against each it plans to cut. "NHAI has been directed to ensure compensatory plantation and conservation," Shrikhande said.

The compensatory plantation is a sham as hardly any of the trees survive. The trees planted by sales tax office at Vidarbha Hockey Association's ground have already died.

This is for the third time that the tree authority has permitted cutting down large number of big trees.

It had okayed felling of 184 big trees at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in September and 1880 trees for MHADA in 2009-10.