On Tuesday, big machines called bulldozers worked in Mundhwa. They started to cut down 47 big trees from a 12-acre land where Godrej Properties Ltd wants to build new buildings. Many people in the area, like local activists and residents, are worried about this.
The bulldozers worked during the night, and when they finished, they'd removed 172 trees. This included 38 trees that were native to the area and had been growing for over 50 years. Experts say these trees were homes for 27 kinds of birds and helped make enough oxygen for 688 people each year.
When the community found out, they reacted quickly. On Wednesday morning, over 200 people came together to protest. They said Godrej Properties didn't follow the rules that say people must be asked before cutting down so many trees.
Godrej Properties says they've all the necessary permissions from the Pune Municipal Corporation. They also say they'll move 43% of the trees to new places. They plan to build a fancy new residential complex with six tall buildings and many facilities.
However, records show that the company didn't wait for the required 15 days for public comments before cutting the trees. They've to plant three new trees for every tree they cut down, which means they need to plant 516 new trees in the next six months.
The company promises to do this, but some people still doubt if the new trees will grow well.
