Kochi Corporation to update tree registry after row over unauthorised felling

The Kochi Corporation is set to update its tree registry, a database of trees in public places within its limits, as part of its proposed footpath renovation project.

The need for an updated registry has been felt in the wake of a recent incident in which a private firm allegedly cut down three such trees near Changampuzha Park at Edappally. Despite complaints lodged by the Corporation secretary and the councillor concerned, the Elamakkara police have so far declined to register a case.

“The police keep on asking for details such as the numbers and names of the trees. That is why we have now decided to update the tree registry complete with numbering,” said Mayor V.K. Minimol.

Trees in a public space at Kadavanthra in Kochi.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT

A tree census was first conducted in 2010 under the joint aegis of the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED), an institution functioning as the research and development wing of the Kochi Corporation, and Rajagiri outREACH, the professional service wing and community engagement ecosystem of Rajagiri College of Social Sciences. The census, conducted at an estimated cost of around ₹4 lakh, documented nearly 6,500 trees in public places.

“This was followed by the preparation of a digital tree registry under the Cities4Forests project in association with the World Resources Institute, a global non-profit research organisation, in 2019. The exercise was carried out using technologies such as the GPS and Geographic Information System mapping, based on consultations with the councillors concerned and environmental activists. The registry contained division-wise data,” Corporation sources said.

However, a key shortcoming of both initiatives was that the trees were not assigned identification numbers. The Corporation now proposes to address this while updating the registry.

Technically, any proposal to cut down a tree in a public place requires the party concerned to submit an application before the Tree Committee, which comprises representatives of the social forestry wing, the Corporation, and a NGO. “The committee grants permission only after an inspection by Forest department officials, who verify whether the tree needs to be cut down, assess its species and size, and determine its value,” said Vishnupriyan Kartha, the NGO representative on the committee.