Warsaw. They removed the old fence, damaged the roots of trees. The office announces penalties

During the replacement of the fence at the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine, the excavator damaged the roots of several trees. Officials from Żoliborskie carried out an inspection on the spot and announce penalties. They also intend to settle the contractor for the unauthorized occupation of the pavement at Przasnyska.

A fence is underway around the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine at Krasińskiego Street. Żoliborski, councilor Łukasz Porębski, chairman of the infrastructure and safety and environmental committee, announced on Friday that on the occasion of the ongoing works, the Institute “decided to devastate nine beautiful and large trees.” “Destroyed trees with an excavator have cut roots at the trunks themselves. It is a way to have dead trees in a few years or weakened enough that you will have to cut them” – he said on Facebook.

“There is no consent to the senseless and primitive destruction of trees,” the councilor added.

“What we saw completely shocked us”

The case was also publicized on Friday by the Zabasa Association. “What we saw around 15.30 shocked us completely! The Institute dismantled the old fence from the early 1960s, in the place where the hole was dug up to the new foundations of the fence. On this occasion, the roots of trees growing directly at the fence were damaged” – activists reported on social media.

The association reported that the devastation of trees was notified by the deputy mayor of Żoliborz Tomasz Mielcarz and the head of the Environmental Protection Department Paweł Tęczka. “In addition, we reported the case to the city guard and the police. The City Guard only announced that he does not know the trees and can only do the same as we do before the phone to the guard, i.e. notify WOZ about it” – we read in the entry. Policemen, in turn, recommended social workers to submit an official notification of suspected crime.

Activists have determined that the Institute received recommendations from the District Office to deny all trees and be particularly careful in earthworks so as not to violate the structure of the root system. “Unfortunately, as it turned out, WIML did not deny trees, nor did he care about the roots,” said the association.

Construction of a fence at the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine

Officials confirm the damage and announce penalties

On Monday, Żoliborskie officials carried out an inspection at WIML. – The inspection confirmed the root damage to seven trees – informs Donata Wancel, spokeswoman for the Żoliborz District Office. As he explains, it is one tree located in the road lane, which is in the maintenance of the office and six trees growing at the Institute.

– Administrative proceedings will be initiated regarding damage to the WIML trees in order to impose a penalty. However, in the case of one tree growing in the road lane, we must send a notification of damage to the tree to the Marshal of the Masovian Voivodeship – announces Wancel.

Institute's arguments: without affecting the condition of the trees

WIML representatives, however, say that the activities carried out by the construction team will not have a “major influence” on the condition of the trees. They explain that the purpose of the investment is to restore the fence because the old one was devastated.

– For this reason, construction works are limited to removing the old fence foundation, and in its place flooding a new one. Few roots that overwhelmed the old foundation had to be clearly removed with it, which in the opinion of construction management does not have a major impact on the condition of the trees – says Zbigniew Żukowski, head of the WIML logistics.

– The contractor was obliged to exercise special caution in earthworks within the trees, perform trunks and perform care treatments at a small area of ​​square centimeters, the structure of the bark of one of the trees – added Żukowski.

District Office: They took part of the pavement without consent

Councilor Porębski stated in his post that the contractor took the pavement from Przasnyska Street during the works, but pedestrians are not in any way informed about the difficulties.

In the pictures taken by our reporter, we see that some of the paving slabs were demolished, and temporary fastening was set on the edge of the others. A small fragment of the pavement remains at the disposal of pedestrians, but there is a car parking in the bay, which makes the passage almost impossible.

We also asked the Institute to refer to this issue. – The contractor did not submit at the Office the need to seize the road lane at Przasnyska Street due to chronic procedures for approving the project of temporary traffic organization – says Zbigniew Żukowski. And he adds that the application for the opinion and approval of the project was submitted at the end of January and in accordance with the regulations, the case should be settled within 30 days. – In connection with the above, the work and temporary fence are carried out within the WIML plot – he says.

Officials, however, have a different opinion on this matter. The spokeswoman of the district indicates that the contractor did not ask the office for permission to seize the road lane in Przasnyska and therefore administrative proceedings will be initiated to impose a penalty.

– I will add that we received from the Road Traffic Management Office to give an opinion on a temporary traffic organization. We issued such an opinion, along with the remarks regarding the protection of trees growing in the road lane. We also have information that the COR project has not yet been approved by BZRD. However, in accordance with the regulations, the investor should report such an intention of the road manager seven days before its implementation, which has not been made. We also checked that the temporary organization of traffic was not implemented, therefore, in this case administrative proceedings will be initiated ex officio – announces Donata Wancel.