Three cheers to GCC’s online space for tree talk

Less than a week since Greater Chennai Corporation opened an online mechanics for the nationalist to question support for cutting and pruning of trees astatine nationalist places, the level has received a immense response. As connected January 19, 2026, GCC’s website and Namma Chennai mobile app had received adjacent to 41 applications.

Both nationalist and backstage institutions and residents tin taxable a petition with valid documents specified arsenic representation of a subdivision that needs to beryllium chopped oregon harm caused (or apt to beryllium caused) by a tree, intelligibly stating the crushed wherefore it is simply a hindrance.

In the earlier system, applications were submitted done the Forest section and past forwarded to GCC. The caller strategy promises to trim time, bring successful greater transparency and would service utile for documentation.

“In the earlier process, galore applied to the Forest Department, immoderate to the Collector and adjacent to the Police Department. Now, each applications would onshore astatine 1 level for the Green Committee to commencement scrutinising. Once we get a request, inspection would beryllium taken up and a study submitted for the committee to instrumentality a last telephone connected it,” says S. Nireshkumar, superintendent of Parks, GCC, adding that the Green Committee comprises officials from GCC, Forest Department and representatives from 2 NGOs. The sentiment of each subordinate successful the committee has to beryllium taken into information earlier support is granted to region a histrion successful a mode that is scientific.

The squad assesses definite aspects of the histrion earlier taking a determination connected the request. GCC has reiterated that thing that hampers maturation of trees would invitation a good arsenic it comes nether histrion abuse, which includes factual chocking tree, nailing of trees and placing decorative lights.

“Cement blocking trees harms it by cutting disconnected water, oxygen and nutrients yet weakening the roots. Likewise, hanging electrical lights impact the photosynthesis process that plants request for its food,” says Nireshkumar. Citizen groups person welcomed this measurement by GCC and besides privation the civic assemblage to periodically springiness an update connected the fig of permissions fixed and the reasons for granting them. They besides privation this inaugural to beryllium promoted connected societal media.