'Heartbreaking': Residents lament chopping down of 'unauthorised' trees at Aljunied HDB block

SINGAPORE: An avid gardener, Mr Lim has planted many trees near his home at Block 126 Aljunied Road over the last decade.

The 66-year-old retiree has lived in the area for about 30 years. He and a group of other longtime neighbours grew moringa trees and other edible plants and herbs, and residents would harvest them for their consumption.

But to their dismay, most of the trees have been chopped down. Last Wednesday (Jun 26), workers hired by Marine Parade Town Council – which oversees the estate – removed trees that it said were "unauthorised plantings".

"This is an old estate, so there's lots of space. In many estates like ours, everyone grows their own plants downstairs," said Mr Lim, who did not want his full name published, in Mandarin.

"This is a special feature of our neighbourhood. I don't know why they don't want to retain it and make it something we can be proud of."

But the town council said other residents had complaints. Some of the trees and plants were overgrown and blocked open drains, which affected cleaning works and resulted in the breeding of mosquitos, it said.

“We also received feedback from residents about the poor maintenance of these unauthorised plantings,” the town council said. 

Some of the trees were growing crooked and overgrown branches were damaging a fence, it added.

“As there was no action taken on these overgrown trees or plants despite multiple advisories, the town council carried out the removal of these plantings in the area.” 

Residents CNA spoke to said Mr Lim is a diligent gardener and is often seen cleaning the area and taking care of the plants in the mornings and evenings. 

Mr Tan Chong Kiat objected to the town council’s claims about the drains being blocked, saying that Mr Lim clears the leaves in the drain more often than the workers managing the estate. 

“Every day he’s there. And he’s doing it for free. He’s not asking for money, he’s doing this out of his own passion,” said the 61-year-old resident, who started gardening with Mr Lim during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

MULTIPLE ADVISORIES ISSUED

Block 126 used to have a community garden, which Mr Lim and his neighbours maintained. This garden was initially authorised and set up in agreement with the town council, Mr Lim said.

Another resident, Ms Alison Wong, said when she and her husband moved to the block in 2014, they were pleasantly surprised by the community garden and how residents took care of it.

“That’s also where, as a new resident, I got to know many of them. I thought that this little garden actually brought together a lot of us, and it was nice.” 

But in 2014, residents were told to remove their plants and in 2018, the garden was paved over and turned into a walkway, lined with plants added by the town council. 

The residents continued planting in open spaces below their block, despite warnings from the town council. Mr Lim said he was told he could be fined.

The town council said it issued multiple advisories and installed a sign reminding residents not to plant in common areas. It did not respond to CNA's questions about why the community garden was removed or if fines were issued.

Mr Tan said he was told he could apply for another plot to be designated as a community garden. But after speaking to the town council, the community centre and the school next door, he could not figure out who to apply to. 

“So I just carried on, since it seemed like a no-man's land,” he said, adding that he has asked for a dialogue with the town council to come up with a solution.

"OVER-THE-TOP SOLUTION"

When workers and town council staff arrived at the block last Wednesday, Mr Lim and several other residents tried to convince them to leave the trees alone.

Ms Wong said she spent 15 to 20 minutes talking to town council representatives and workers.

“But (they were) set on chopping them down, and I knew there was nothing I could do. I didn’t want to watch them chopping it down … I felt very heartbroken,” she said. 

When CNA visited the block later the same day, most of the moringa trees had been removed. Workers also pruned a tall tree that reached the second storey of the block. 

Of the roughly 30 trees Mr Lim had planted over the years, the town council removed about 20, he said. 

Residents told CNA that they and migrant workers around the estate often take the moringa trees' leaves – which are said to have health benefits like lowering cholesterol levels – home to consume. 

Ms Wong, who also consumes the leaves, said she sees people from other estates cycle over to pluck the leaves. During the pandemic, the greenery “provided a lot of relief” for the residents, she said, adding that birds like hornbills often visit the trees. 

Member of Parliament for the area Tin Pei Ling told CNA that she was glad residents wanted to “green the environment”. 

But the town council needs to ensure this does not cause obstruction or maintenance issues, she said, urging residents to plant in designated community gardens instead. 

While residents were aware that others who live in the block have lodged complaints about the plants, they called for more empathy. 

“It seems like an over-the-top solution to say that there are complaints about mosquitoes, so let’s clear all the vegetation,” said Ms Wong. 

“I was hoping that there could be some kind of concerted discourse where people can have their concerns addressed, basically a more moderate, more temperate approach to this.” 

Speaking to CNA as he removed leaves from another tree that had been cut down, Mr Lim said he wants to sell his flat soon and move out. 

“How do you think I feel watching them be cut down? They (the trees) are like my children, it’s very heartbreaking.”