Pune: PMC’s Afforestation Claims Under Scrutiny After GPS Locations Point To Africa’s Chad Desert Region 

Pune, June 5, 2026

In affidavit filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), PMC has filed shocking information that highlights the lackasidal attitude of the administration towards the seriousness of the legal matters. The matter pertains to compensatoy tree plantation where Adv. Krunnal Gharre highlighted serious discrepancies in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) compensatory afforestation records, raising concerns regarding the accuracy and authenticity of information submitted to statutory authorities.

As reported by PMC’s affidavit before the NGT claimed that approximately 40,000 trees had been planted as compensatory afforestation. However, verification of GPS coordinates submitted as proof of plantation reportedly revealed that certain locations corresponded to areas in the Desert region of Chad, Africa, rather than locations within Pune or Maharashtra.

The findings have raised significant questions regarding the credibility of PMC’s plantation records, the verification process adopted by the civic administration, and the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms intended to ensure compliance with environmental safeguards.

The issue is particularly concerning given the large-scale tree felling undertaken for infrastructure projects across Pune over the past several years. Citizens have consistently sought transparency regarding the location, survival, and maintenance of compensatory plantations promised in lieu of trees removed for development projects.

The matter raises several important questions:

– How many trees were actually planted against the trees that were felled?

– Do the claimed plantations physically exist on the ground?

– Were inaccurate GPS coordinates submitted in official records?

– Who was responsible for verifying the plantation data?

– What action will be taken if false information has been submitted to statutory authorities?

Statement by Adv. Krunnal Gharre

“We have exposed this fraud perpetrated on the citizens of Pune by the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Government.

On one hand, an administration that has surrendered itself to political pressure; on the other, political leadership that lacks an understanding of ground realities, factual evidence, and the issues affecting the city, rendering it incapable of effectively challenging such actions. The result of this combination is the deplorable state in which Pune finds itself today.

Unfortunately, it is the ordinary citizens of Pune who are paying the price for these failures.