Pune Municipal Corporation’s Parks Department has warned residents against cutting branches or damaging trees while collecting leaves traditionally exchanged as ‘gold’ during Dussehra, stating that unauthorised tree cutting can attract a fine of more than Rs 1 lakh.
The advisory covers mango, apta, kanchan, shami and other trees from which branches are reportedly cut during Vijayadashami celebrations. The department has appealed to residents to preserve the festival tradition without harming trees or removing branches from public or private property without permission.
The warning comes ahead of Dussehra, when people collect apta leaves and exchange them as a symbolic form of gold. According to the Parks Department, this practice can lead to the indiscriminate cutting of branches. It has urged citizens to use symbolic material that does not injure trees while observing the custom.
The civic department cited the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees (Amendment) Act, 2022. Under the law, cutting trees without permission or causing damage to them in any manner is a punishable offence. The department said the law provides for a penalty exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
The advisory places responsibility for protecting trees not only on municipal enforcement agencies but also on residents during a period when demand for apta leaves increases. It does not identify any specific location where violations have taken place or provide figures on previous Dussehra-related cases.
Pune’s tree-protection framework requires residents to report unauthorised tree cutting or damage to the municipal Tree Authority. The civic body’s official complaints portal, complaints.pmc.gov.in, provides an online facility for registering such complaints, according to the Parks Department.
The department’s appeal asks residents to report any instance of unauthorised tree cutting or damage immediately. The advisory does not announce a separate enforcement drive or specify additional arrangements for Dussehra, but reiterates that violations can invite action under the amended state law.
