After constant delays and three failed attempts to implement its
ambitious Global Positioning System-based tree census project over the
last 10 months, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is once
again back to square one: it is formulating tenders to invite bids from
private firms to execute the Rs. 6 crore project.

Members of the Tree Authority at a meeting on Monday demanded that the second lowest bidder be handed over the contract.

In the meanwhile, it has cleared proposals to cut 8,790 trees, since
April 2012, for infrastructure projects and private building
construction.

Once complete, the GPS enabled tree census will equip the civic body
to record comprehensive details of each tree in the city, including its
height, girth, life expectancy and would also help keep a check on
illegal felling of trees.

However, the poor response from firms has set the project back by several months.

Of the two firms responded, one had been allegedly blacklisted by the Pune civic body, during an earlier project.

“Considering that the census has already been much delayed, why can’t
the contract be given to the second lowest bidder if it meets the
qualifications?” said Ameet Satam, BJP corporator and member of the
authority.

But, maintaining that tenders would be re-floated in the next ten
days, SS Shinde, deputy municipal commissioner (gardens), said: “The
tendering process is an administrative decision. We are deliberating on
how conditions of the contract can be framed so that more firms come
forward this time”.

This red- tape, however, experts warned, was costing the city its
tree cover, with no tangible check on the number of trees being lost to
hacking.

“Alternatives must be considered by the BMC if it is not finding
firms for the GPS-enabled census. The manual census could have been
started till the technology was ready for use,” said Dr Nilesh Baxi,
activist and former tree authority member.