Mumbai: The large-scale cutting of trees at Godrej Garden in Vikhroli (West) hillside has shocked nature lovers, who have urged the BMC to immediately stop further axing and inquire into this green damage.According to government sources, a construction firm has received permission to cut over 180 trees and transplant 920 others for developmental works. Environmentalists alleged that since April 1, 50 huge trees — some of them over 60 years old — have been chopped along the route going towards Kailash Complex, Hiranandani.Environmentalist D Stalin of NGO Vanashakti said: “A formal complaint has been lodged with BMC’s N ward office and also with the local police, since over 1,000 trees will be impacted at the Vikhroli hillside. This is a sad reflection of how development prevails over trees.”As the complaint was filed recently, BMC officials have not yet given their feedback.“It is really sad to see Mumbai lose its green cover to so-called developmental activities. Both infrastructure projects of the govt and construction projects of the private developers are stripping away Mumbai’s tree cover. Instead of removing the trees, the land owners could have been given TDR to be used somewhere in non-ecologically sensitive areas of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. At this rate, Mumbai’s temperatures will keep shooting up. We need to protect every single tree standing in Mumbai.” .He added: “All talk of compensatory afforestation is humbug. If an independent audit is done, the truth of 85% failure of transplantation will be exposed. Sadly, the greed to make profits has made people forget their connection with nature.”Activist B N Kumar of NatConnect Foundation said: “While the permission to cut or transplant trees has already been given, the suggestions and objections of the local residents should also be taken. Otherwise, Mumbai seems to be on a hectic tree-cutting and mangrove-cutting spree.”Kumar added: “Mumbai’s per capita tree cover is abysmally low — about one tree for every four persons — against a global benchmark of three trees per person. Urban planners must adopt and adhere to the 3-30-300 rule, which calls for every resident to see at least three trees from their home, live in a neighbourhood with a minimum 30% tree canopy cover, and have access to a green space within 300 metres.”Nature lovers expressed that once trees are killed and ground filled with concrete, some fancy names like “green view” or “urban forest” will be given to the construction. One way or the other, Mumbai’s natural heritage is being decimated and nothing is being done.

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OPEC+ on Sunday agreed to increase oil production quotas for the second consecutive month, while cautioning that damage to energy infrastructure amid ongoing conflicts could disrupt global supplies for an extended period, AFP reported.The oil cartel decided to raise output quotas by 206,000 barrels per day (bpd) from May, with key producers including Russia, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf nations backing the move.However, OPEC+ warned that repairing energy facilities damaged in conflict zones is “costly and takes a long time”, adding that such disruptions could heighten volatility in global oil markets.The group also stressed “the critical importance of safeguarding international maritime routes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy”.While the statement did not directly mention the Iran war, the ongoing conflict has significantly impacted global energy markets and contributed to a sharp rise in oil prices.Since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Tehran has retaliated by targeting locations across the region, including key energy infrastructure.Iran has also effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz by threatening to attack tankers passing without permission, severely restricting exports from the Gulf region.Before the conflict, nearly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments passed through the Strait, making it a critical artery for global energy trade.The disruption has raised concerns over whether increased production by OPEC+ members can translate into actual supply reaching global markets.Meanwhile, Ukraine has also been targeting Russian oil facilities as part of its ongoing conflict with Moscow, further complicating global supply dynamics.Last month, the eight-member Voluntary Eight (V8) group within OPEC+ had also raised production quotas by 206,000 bpd.In its statement, the V8 warned that “any actions undermining energy supply security, whether through attacks on infrastructure or disruption of international maritime routes, increase market volatility” and complicate efforts to manage global oil prices.The group — comprising Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman–also acknowledged members that managed to find alternative export routes, noting that such efforts have helped reduce market volatility.

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NEW DELHI: A fresh political row erupted in Assam after Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife holds multiple foreign passports, prompting a sharp rebuttal and legal threat from the BJP leader.The controversy began with Khera’s press conference in Delhi, where he claimed to possess documents suggesting that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, held three passports. “We have documents showing that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, holds three passports. The first is a UAE Golden Card, the second an Antigua and Barbuda passport, and the third an Egyptian passport. Two of these belong to Islamic countries, yet they continue to claim religious adherence publicly,” he said.